Kawasaki disease
A syndrome that mainly affects young children, causing fever; reddening of the eyes (conjunctivitis), lips, and mucous membranes of the mouth; ulcerative gum disease (gingivitis); swollen glands in the neck (cervical lymphadenopathy); and a rash that is raised and bright red (maculoerythematous). The rash appears in a ‘glove-and-sock’ fashion over the skin of the hands and feet. The skin then becomes hard and swollen (edematous), and it peels off. Kawasaki disease affects the blood vessels and is now the main cause of acquired heart disease in children. It is most common in people of Asian descent, and it is more common in males than in females. Its cause
is unknown; current theories include a virus or other infectious agent. Treatment usually involves intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Also known
as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, infantile polyarteritis.
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1. The skin disease Keratodermia blennorrhagicum. 2. Kilobase of DNA. The preferred abbreviation for kilobase is kb in lower case letters.
- Kearns-Sayre syndrome
CPEO with myopathy; CPEO with ragged-red fibers; KSS; Mitochondrial cytopathy, Kearns-Sayre type; Oculocraniosomatic syndrome; Ophthalmoplegia-plus syndrome; Ophthalmoplegia with myopathy; and Ophthalmoplegia with ragged-red fibers.
- Kegel exercises
Exercises designed to increase muscle strength and elasticity in the female pelvis. Kegel exercises may be recommended for treatment of incompetent cervix, vaginal looseness after pregnancy and delivery, or urinary incontinence.
- Keloid
A scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It is irregularly shaped, usually pink to red in color, tends to enlarge progressively, and may be harder than the surrounding skin. Keloids are a response to trauma, such as a cut to the skin. In creating a normal scar, connective tissue in […]
- Keratectomy
Removal of part of the cornea. This can be done by surgical excision or by laser. One such laser procedure is PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).