Small holes caused by a sharp object piercing another object are referred to as punctures. Such holes may come about accidentally, or be done with a specific purpose in mind. Some punctures are surface only, while others can pierce deep into the subject. A doctor visit isn’t normally necessary for accidental surface punctures on the [...]

Laparoscopic surgery is a type of surgery where a small incision is made in the abdomen or pelvic areas rather than a large cut. The incision is usually less than half an inch. In some laparoscopic tubal sterilization surgeries in women, otherwise known as getting the woman’s “tubes tied”, a tool known as Kleppinger forceps, [...]

Surgeons and Neurologists use information obtained from a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to examine and rule out disease or infection in the brain and spinal cord. Such tests are called lumbar punctures, also referred to as a spinal tap. Lumbar punctures require the doctor to insert a needle into the patient’s lower (lumbar) back and [...]

Many professionals use marks and punctures in their every day jobs and careers. By definition a mark is a visible trace or impression made on a surface. Sometimes a mark is referred to as light scratch or gash on the surface of skin. On the other hand, a puncture is a pierce made into one [...]

Whether you go camping in the hot and humid summer months, or the chilly winter months, it is important to know about the types of plants and wildlife common to the area before setting up camp. Many plant varieties hold danger when touched. Prickly plants can irritate skin and cause serious infection through deep thorn [...]

No one wants to step outside and discover a tire on their care or truck has gone flat. Nor does anyone hope to find a nail, or screw embedded deep within the tire tread. Unfortunately, nail punctures are common with motor vehicles and bicycles. Fortunately, fixing tire nail punctures takes a little bit of time [...]

Unlike veins, which are blood vessels that carry oxygen to the heart, arteries carry oxygen rich blood away from the heart to the body’s organs and tissues. A single main artery, known as the aorta, pumps blood from the heart into smaller artery branches. Different arteries work in various areas of the body. Each serves [...]

No matter how much a person practices caution, accidental skin punctures happen every day to anyone. Every clothing tailor has stabbed their finger with a needle at least once in their lifetime. Someone at some time has stepped barefooted onto a broken piece of glass, slipped with a screwdriver, bumped into splintered wood, or had [...]

Accidents happen no matter how careful the driver. When it comes to tires most automobile accidents happen through unseen objects. A flat tire happens. When it does it is good to be prepared by keeping an automobile tire puncture kit handy, or calling a mechanic. Be aware, unlike nail, screw, or broken glass punctures through [...]

Springtime is a time greatly anticipated by many gardeners. It is when they attend to their precious roses by plantings, trimmings and soil preparation. Wise gardeners practice safe habits to keep from accidental rose thorn punctures. Well cared for roses continue to bloom throughout the summer and into autumn leaving almost a full year to [...]

Odds are that most vehicle owners have experienced a flat tire at least once in their lifetime. If that isn’t bad enough, a good majority of flat tires come about due to a tire rolling over and being punctured by a sharp object, such as a nail, screw, or broken piece of glass. Change the [...]

Punctures of the skin occur somewhere in the world every day. Some come about accidentally. Bee stings, finding a wood or metal sliver under the skin, stepping on nails, knife cuts, and broken glass shards are some examples of accidental punctures. But some punctures of the skin happen for a purpose. One example comes from [...]

Medical cartoon comics make fun of a variety of illnesses and ailments. Patient’s who step on obvious things, the common cold, even an item that punctures lung, or other organs are all susceptible to the cartoonist’s whim. There have been comics where the patient is fluttering away like a balloon after a needle punctures lung. [...]

One of the choices a woman faces once she learns she is pregnant is whether to have a natural, or cesarean (C-section) child birth. In both forms an epidural shot may be administered to temporarily numb. While an epidural is in place, and if the patient is awake during surgery, the patient will be aware [...]

When diagnosing disorders and diseases of the brain and spinal cord a doctor may decide to order a patient to go through a lumbar puncture procedure, otherwise known as a spinal tap. This is done by inserting a needle into the lower back and removing cerebrospinal fluid. A blood culture is performed. All of this [...]

Symptoms of seizures, continuous vomiting, and high fevers are a great cause of concern when it comes to any infant. When a virus has been ruled out, or there is cause to believe there is swelling or hemorrhaging in the brain the infant’s pediatrician might request a specialist who will order different tests to check [...]

Humans have been taking care of domesticated horses for centuries. They are workers, players and performers. Healthy horses can live up to thirty years or so with proper care. Horse owners must watch the horse’s diet, grooming, vaccinations, and take care of them when a sickness or problem occurs. Horse deaths punctures are among the [...]

Summer is a time of roaming barefoot through the grass and sandy beaches. Unfortunately, summer is also the time when doctors see an increase in cases for foot punctures. Broken glass shards, shells, tacks, nails, screws, thorns and prickers, sharp edge plastic, pencil tips, sewing needles and even the metal hooks used for hanging Christmas [...]

The cost fixing punctures varies according to type. For a simple puncture in a bike or automobile tire a tire plug kit may be all that is required to permanently fix it. The price for a tire plug kit falls around ten dollars, or less. A worth while investment considering the price for a new [...]

The brachial artery runs under the skin from the shoulder to just below the elbow. This is the artery that nurses use a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer (a Velcro nylon cuff wrapped above the elbow) on to determine blood pressure in a patient. Injury, or infection to the brachial artery is a cause of concern [...]