Bma Illustrated Medical Dictionary

suturingThe closing of a surgical inci-

sion or a wound by sutures (stitches) to

promote healing. This may be done by

means of a single stitch under the skin

(subcuticular) or by using individual

stitches (interrupted). Some materials

used in suturing, such as catgut, eventu-

ally dissolve in the body; skin sutures

made of other materials are removed

about 1–2 weeks after insertion.

swabA wad of absorbent material used

to apply antiseptics or soak up body flu-

ids during surgery, or to obtain a sample

of bacteria from an infected patient.

swallowingThe process by which food

or liquid is conveyed from the mouth to

the stomach via the oesophagus. Once

food has been chewed and mixed with

saliva to form a bolus, the tongue push-

es the bolus to the back of the mouth

and the voluntary muscles in the palate

push it into the throat. The rest of the

swallowing process occurs by a series of

reflexes. Entry of food into the throat

causes the epiglottis to tilt down to seal

the trachea and the soft palate to move

back in order to close off the naval cavi-

ty. The throat muscles push the food

into the oesophagus. Waves of contrac-

tion (peristalsis) along the oesophagus

propel the food towards the stomach.

swallowing difficultyA common symp-

tom with various possible causes,

including a foreign object in the throat;

insufficient production of saliva (see

mouth, dry); a disorder of the oesophagus

such as oesophageal stricture; pressure

on the oesophagus, for example from a

goitre; a nervous system disorder such as

myasthenia gravis or stroke; or a psycho-

logical problem such as globus hystericus.

Investigations of swallowing difficulty

may include oesophagoscopyor barium

swallow (see barium X-ray examinations).

Treatment depends on the cause.

swamp feverAnother name for lepto-

spirosis. The term is also sometimes

applied to malaria.

sweat glandsStructures deep within the

skinthat produce sweat, which is mainly

water with some dissolved substances,

including salt. There are 2 types of sweat

glands: eccrine glands, which are most

numerous and open directly on to the

skin surface, and apocrine glands, which

develop at puberty. Apocrine glands,

which open into a hair follicle, occur only

SUTURING

S

SWALLOWING

FOOD IN MOUTH

Soft palate

Food bolus

Tongue

Trachea

FOOD IN THROAT

Epiglottis in

raised position

Oesophagus

Soft palate

moved back

Bolus

Trachea sealed

Tilted

epiglottis

Oesophagus

SWEAT GLANDS

SUTURING

SUBCUTICULAR STITCH

INTERRUPTED STITCHES

Skin

Wound

Stitch

Skin

Wound

Stitch