knife

knife
A cutting instrument used in surgery and dissection. [M.E. knif, fr. A.S. cnif, fr. O. Norse knifr]
- amputation k. a broad-bladed k. used primarily for transecting large muscles during major amputations.
- Beer k. a triangular k. with a sharp point and one sharp edge, formerly used for incision for cataract.
- cautery k. a k. that sears while cutting, to diminish bleeding.
- chemical k. term sometimes used for restriction endonuclease.
- electrode k. a blade-shaped electrical instrument used to cut tissues by means of a high-frequency electrical current.
- fistula k. SYN: fistulatome.
- free-hand k. a manually operated k. or blade usually used to take split-thickness skin grafts; e.g., Blair-Brown k., Humby k..
- gamma k. a minimally invasive radiosurgical system used in the treatment of benign and malignant intracranial neoplasms and arteriovenous malformations. SEE ALSO: radiosurgery.As a preliminary to use of the gamma k., the lesion to be ablated is precisely located by imaging techniques such as MRI, CT, PET, and angiography. Beams of gamma rays from 200 cobalt-60 sources are then directed by a computer so that they converge on the lesion. A series of exposures are made during a period of about 1 hour. Lesions larger than about 3 cm cannot be treated. The mechanism is bulky and costly, but the procedure has shown a success rate of about 85% in the treatment of arteriovenous malformations and 50–95% for neoplasms. Besides avoiding the risks and complications of open surgery, the gamma k. permits treatment of lesions whose location prohibits any attempt at surgical removal. In addition, patient discomfort is minimal and most patients remain in the hospital for only 1 night; many return home, or even to work, on the day of treatment. The gamma k. is expected to prove useful in the treatment of other disorders, such as tumors of the eye and the pituitary gland, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, parkinsonism, and other movement disorders.
- Goldman-Fox knives a set of knives used in periodontal surgery.
- Graefe k. a narrow-bladed k. used in making a section of the cornea.
- hernia k. a slender bladed k., with short cutting edge, for dividing the constricting tissues at the mouth of the hernial sac. SYN: herniotome.
- Kirkland k. a heart-shaped k. used in gingival surgery.
- lenticular k. a scraper resembling a sharp spoon.
- Liston knives long-bladed knives of various sizes used in amputations.
- Merrifield k. a long, narrow, triangularly shaped k. used in gingival surgery.
- valvotomy k. a k. used in mitral or venous valvular surgery; also called valvulotome.

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knife 'nīf n, pl knives 'nīvz
1) any of various instruments used in surgery primarily to sever tissues: as
a) a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp blade attached to a handle
b) an instrument that cuts by means of an electric current
2) SURGERY (3) usu. used in the phrase under the knife <went under the \knife yesterday> <was afraid of the \knife>

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(nīf) any of various types of cutting instruments.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Knife — (n[imac]f), n.; pl. {Knives} (n[imac]vz). [OE. knif, AS. cn[=i]f; akin to D. knijf, Icel. kn[=i]fr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv.] 1. An instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • knife — ► NOUN (pl. knives) 1) a cutting instrument consisting of a blade fixed into a handle. 2) a cutting blade on a machine. ► VERB 1) stab with a knife. 2) cut like a knife. ● at knifepoint …   English terms dictionary

  • Knife — Knife, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Knifed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Knifing}.] 1. (Hort.) To prune with the knife. [1913 Webster] 2. To cut or stab with a knife. [Low] [1913 Webster] 3. Fig.: To stab in the back; to try to defeat by underhand means, esp. in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • knife — knife; knife·ful; knife·less; knife·man; …   English syllables

  • knife — [nīf] n. pl. knives [ME knif < OE cnif, akin to Ger kneif, ON knīfr < IE * gneibh (> Lith gnaibis, a pinching): for base see KNEAD] 1. a cutting or stabbing instrument with a sharp blade, single edged or double edged, set in a handle 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • knife — [n] cutting tool bayonet, blade, bolo, cutlass, cutter, cutting edge, dagger, edge, lance, lancet, machete, point, ripper, sabre, scalpel, scimitar, scythe, shank, shiv, sickle, skewer, skiver, steel, stiletto, switchblade, sword, tickler;… …   New thesaurus

  • knife — index lancinate, pierce (lance) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • knife — The plural form of the noun is knives, but the inflected forms of the verb are knifes, knifed, knifing …   Modern English usage

  • Knife — A knife is a handheld sharp edged instrument consisting of handle attached to a blade used for cutting. The knife is a tool that can be used as a weapon. Its origins date as far back as two and a half million years ago, as evidenced by the… …   Wikipedia

  • knife — noun 1 tool for cutting ADJECTIVE ▪ blunt, dull (esp. AmE) ▪ sharp ▪ serrated ▪ long ▪ small …   Collocations dictionary

  • knife — [[t]na͟ɪf[/t]] ♦♦♦ knives, knifes, knifing, knifed (knives is the plural form of the noun and knifes is the third person singular of the present tense of the verb.) 1) N COUNT A knife is a tool for cutting or a weapon and consists of a flat piece …   English dictionary

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