anastomosis
Americannoun
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Anatomy. communication between blood vessels by means of collateral channels, especially when usual routes are obstructed.
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Biology, Geology. connection between parts of any branching system, as veinlets in a leaf or branches of a stream.
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Surgery, Pathology. a joining of or opening between two organs or spaces that normally are not connected.
noun
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a natural connection between two tubular structures, such as blood vessels
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the surgical union of two hollow organs or parts that are normally separate
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the separation and rejoining in a reticulate pattern of the veins of a leaf or of branches
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of anastomosis
1605–15; < New Latin < Greek: opening. See ana-, stoma, -osis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This had a repertoire of stitches, knots and manoeuvres that permitted it to plan and carry out a procedure, known as anastomosis, which involves sewing together two parts of a bodily tube.
From Economist ● May 4, 2016
An arteriovenous anastomosis, which directly connects the arteriole with the venule, is shown at the bottom.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The basilar artery is an anastomosis that begins at the junction of the two vertebral arteries and sends branches to the cerebellum and brain stem.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
"Oh," I said, "you're going to do an end-to-end anastomosis."
From Time Magazine Archive
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The second of these paragraphs describes the phenomenon of vascular anastomosis which, having already been more than once an object of our study, here reveals a new meaning.
From Man or Matter by Lehrs, Ernst
Although the external and internal jugular veins are separate vessels, there are anastomoses between them close to the thoracic region.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
There is considerable, but not total, intermingling of the systemic and pulmonary blood at anastomoses in the smaller branches of the lungs.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The anastomoses in the heart are very small.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
You will also find examples of anastomoses where two blood vessels that previously branched reconnect.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
When the embolus reaches a point beyond which it cannot pass, the resulting disturbance depends essentially, as shown by Cohnheim, upon the presence or absence of arterial anastomoses beyond the place of obstruction.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.