- Anomaly
- A deviation from the usual, something different, peculiar, or abnormal. A congenital anomaly is something that is unusual and different at birth. A minor anomaly in this context is defined as an unusual anatomic feature that is of no serious medical or cosmetic consequence to the patient. A minor anomaly of the feet might, for example, be curvature of the second toe so it overlaps the third toe a little. By contrast, a major anomaly might be a cleft lip and palate, a birth defect of serious medical and cosmetic consequence to the patient. "Anomaly" comes from the Greek word "anomalos," which means "uneven" or "irregular." "Anomalos" comes from the prefix "a-" (meaning "not") and the word "homalos" (meaning "even").
* * *Deviation from the average or norm; anything that is structurally unusual or irregular or contrary to a general rule. Congenital defects are an example of the definition of a.. [G. anomalia, irregularity]- Alder a. coarse azurophilic granulation of leukocytes, especially granulocytes, which may be associated with gargoylism and Morquio syndrome.- Aristotle a. when a small object is held between the first and second fingers crossed in such a way that it touches or presses upon skin surfaces that ordinarily are not pressed upon simultaneously by a single object, it is perceived falsely as two.- Ebstein a. congenital downward displacement of the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. SYN: Ebstein disease.- Freund a. a narrowing of the upper aperture of the thorax by shortening of the first rib and its cartilage; formerly believed to predispose to tuberculosis because of defective expansion of the lung apex.- Hegglin a. a disorder in which neutrophils and eosinophils contain basophilic structures known as Döhle or Amato bodies and in which there is faulty maturation of platelets, with thrombocytopenia; autosomal dominant inheritance. SYN: May-Hegglin a..- morning glory a. congenital a. of the optic disk in which the nerve head is funnel-shaped, with a dot of white tissue at the end of the excavation, and is surrounded by an elevated pigmented annulus; the retinal vessels seen are multiple narrow bands at the edge of the disk.- Pelger-Huët nuclear a. [MIM*169400] congenital inhibition of lobulation in the nuclei of neutrophilic leukocytes; most cells present band or bilobulate appearance, and only an occasional cell is trilobed; it is not associated with disease, but may be confused with leukocyte “shift to left”; autosomal dominant inheritance.- Shone a. coarctation of the aorta, subaortic stenosis, and stenosing ring of the left atrium found in association with a parachute mitral valve.- Uhl a. right ventricular myocardial aplasia, causing a dilated, thin-walled right ventricle without murmurs; death results in early childhood. SYN: parchment right ventricle.
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anom·a·ly ə-'näm-ə-lē n, pl -lies a deviation from normal esp. of a bodily part <the infants demonstrated congenital anomalies> <personality anomalies>* * *
n.any deviation from the normal, especially a congenital or developmental defect.* * *
anom·a·ly (ə-nomґə-le) [Gr. anōmalia] marked deviation from the normal standard, especially as a result of congenital defects.
Medical dictionary. 2011.