cyanosis

American  

[sahy-uh-noh-sis] / ˌsaɪ əˈnoʊ sɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. blueness or lividness of the skin, as from imperfectly oxygenated blood.

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cyanosis British  

/ ˌsaɪəˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

1. pathol a bluish-purple discoloration of skin and mucous membranes usually resulting from a deficiency of oxygen in the blood

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Other Word Forms

• hypercyanosis
  noun
• cyanotic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of cyanosis

First recorded in 1825–35; from New Latin, from Greek kyánōsis “dark-blue color”; see cyan- ¹, -osis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cyanosis

"The patient became cyanotic with blue lips, movements stopped, the muscles relaxed, deep breathing followed, cyanosis waned, and color returned to the lips as the patient was moved to a recovery room."

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2023

Some COVID-19 patients, however had the kind of very low saturations that we associate with cyanosis and respiratory distress—but they were comfortably speaking to us or texting on their phones.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 3, 2020

At around 2:15 that day, employees of the plastic surgery office "discovered that Ms. Nguyen’s lips and face were blue and that cyanosis was quickly spreading to her upper extremities and torso."

From Fox News ● Dec. 22, 2019

"Some victims suffered something called heliotrope cyanosis which was kind of a creeping blue which started in your fingertips, tips of your ears and nose and lips but you could go completely black," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2018

Vomiting of mucus, bloody or dark coffee-ground matters, purging and tenesmus, followed by collapse, feeble pulse, cyanosis and pallor of the skin; also swelling of tongue, with dysphagia.

From Aids to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology by W. G. Aitchison (William George Aitchison ) Robertson

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