Defibrination is a medical term referring to the removal of fibrin from the blood, which can lead to excessive bleeding. The word is spelled with a prefix "de-" meaning "removal," followed by "fibrin" and the suffix "-ation" indicating a process. The correct pronunciation is [dɪˌfɪbrɪˈneɪʃən], with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA phonetic transcription indicates the sounds of each individual letter in the word, making it easier to understand the pronunciation of complex medical terms like this one.
Defibrination refers to the removal or prevention of blood clotting in a patient's bloodstream. It is a medical procedure commonly employed in cases of excessive clotting or when the blood clotting system needs to be inhibited for medical reasons. This process aims to eliminate or reduce the concentration of fibrin, a protein found in blood plasma that is responsible for forming blood clots. By defibrinating the blood, this treatment renders it unable to coagulate, which can be necessary in circumstances such as before surgeries or in severe cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Defibrination techniques typically involve the administration of anticoagulant drugs or the introduction of an agent that directly disrupts the clotting process. These procedures can be carried out by medical professionals, such as nurses or doctors, in a hospital or clinical setting. Defibrination may also occur naturally as a result of certain disease processes or conditions in the body, leading to complications such as internal bleeding, hemorrhages, or the formation of blood clots in unusual locations.
Although defibrination can be a useful method for managing clotting disorders and preventing complications caused by excessive coagulation, the procedure should be carefully monitored by healthcare providers to prevent bleeding complications. Proper medical evaluation and expertise are crucial to ensure that defibrination is applied appropriately and safely, as it requires a delicate balance between inhibiting clot formation and preventing excessive bleeding.
Removal of fibrin from the blood after it has been drawn, in order to prevent clotting.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "defibrination" is derived from the combination of two Latin roots, "de" meaning "from" or "away", and "fibrina" meaning "fiber" or "fibrin" in English. Fibrin is a protein involved in the formation of blood clots. Hence, "defibrination" refers to the process of removing or eliminating fibrin from something, typically referring to the removal of fibrin from blood, which inhibits clotting.