Glossary N

N

NAFFZIGER SYNDROME - Intervertebral disc disease, cervical rib, or some other disorder causes the scalene muscles to go into spasm, resulting in pressure on the major nerve plexus of the arm causing pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand; scalenus anticus syndrome.

NEOPLASM - Any new or abnormal growth, specifically a new growth of tissue in which the growth is uncontrolled.

NERVE - A whitish cordlike structure composed of one or more bundles of myelinated or unlyelinated fibers, or more often mixtures of both coursing outside of the central nervous system, together with connective tissue within the fascicle and around the neurolemma of individual fibers.

NERVE ROOT - The portion of a spinal nerve in close proximity to its origin from the spinal cord.

NEURALGIA - A paroxysmal pain extending along the course of one or more nerves.

NEUROFIBROMA - Fibrous tumor of a nerve, which may affect a nerve root and thus give the appearance of herniated disc disease.

NEUROSURGERY - The surgical specialty involved in the treatment of disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

NEURAL ARCH - The bony arch of the posterior aspect of a vertebra that surrounds the spinal cord, also referred to as the vertebral arch.

NEURALGIA - Pain of a severe, throbbing, or stabbing character in the course or distribution of a nerve.

NEURECTOMY - Excision of part of a nerve.

NEURITIS - Inflammation of a nerve; may also be used to denote non-inflammatory nerve lesions of the peripheral nervous system.

NEUROBLASTOMA - Tumor of sympathetic nervous system origin, found mostly in infants and children.

NEUROFIBROMA - A tumor of the peripheral nerves due to an abnormal collection of fibrous and insulating cells.

NEUROFIBROMATOSIS - A familial condition characterized by developmental changes in the nervous system, muscles and skin, marked by numerous tumors affecting these organ system.

NEUROHYPOPHYSIS - The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.

NEUROLYSIS - Removal of scar or reactive tissue from a nerve or nerve root.

NEUROMA - A tumor or new growth largely made up of nerve fibers and connective tissue.

NEUROMUSCULAR SCOLIOSIS - Scoliosis caused by a muscle or central nervous system disorder.

NEUROPATHY - Any functional or pathologic disturbance in the peripheral nervous system.

NEUROSTIMULATOR - A device for electrical excitation of the central or peripheral nervous system.

NEWMAN - C-1 to C-2 posterior fusion without fixation.

NON-UNION - Failure of the fragments of a fractured bone to heal or to obtain bony fusion following an arthrodesis.

NUCHAL LIGAMENT - Large posterior midline ligament in the neck from the base of the skull to the seventh cervical vertebra.

NUCLEUS PULPOSUS - The semi-gelatinous tissue in the center of an intervertebral disc. It is surrounded and contained by the annulus fibrosus which prevents this material from protruding outside the disc space.

NURICK SCALE - Classification scale for spinal cord compression due to spondylosis.

NYSTAGMUS - Involuntary rapid movement of the eyes in the horizontal, vertical or rotary planes of the eyeball.

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