Akademik

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1. A thread, wire, fillet, or the like, tied tightly around a blood vessel, the pedicle of a tumor, or other structure to constrict it. 2. In orthodontics, a wire or other material used to secure an orthodontic attachment or tooth to an archwire. [L. ligatura, a band or tie, fr. ligo, to tie]

- elastic l. 1. a rubber l. that slowly constricts; 2. in orthodontics, a stretchable threadlike material that may be tied from a tooth to an archwire or from tooth to tooth to gain movement of these units.

- intravascular l. balloon occlusion of the feeding vessels of a cerebral arteriovenous malformation.

- nonabsorbable l. a permanent l. of inert material, such as silk, wire, or synthetic fiber, that does not undergo dissolution in human tissues.

- occluding l. a l. to shut off completely the distal blood supply.

- provisional l. a l. applied to an artery in continuity at the beginning of an operation to prevent hemorrhage, but removed when the operation is completed.

- soluble l. a temporary l. of material that can be absorbed by human tissues.

- Stannius l. a l. placed either around the junction between the sinus venosus and atrium of the frog or turtle heart (first Stannius l.) or around the atrioventricular junction (second Stannius l.); demonstrates that the cardiac impulse is conducted from sinus venosus to atria to ventricle, but that successive chambers possess automaticity since each may continue to beat, but the atria now have a slower rate than the sinus venosus, and the ventricle either does not contract or beats at a slower rate than the atria.

- suboccluding l. a l. to diminish blood supply and encourage collateral circulation.

- suture l. a l. applied by passing a needle with attached thread through or around a structure to more firmly secure the l..

lig·a·ture 'lig-ə-.chu̇(ə)r, -chər, -.t(y)u̇(ə)r n

1) something that is used to bind specif a filament (as a thread) used in surgery (as for tying blood vessels)

2) the action or result of binding or tying <the \ligature of an artery>

ligature vt, -tured; -tur·ing to tie up or bind <ligaturing the blood vessels (Veterinary Record)>

any material - for example, nylon, silk, catgut, or wire - that is tied firmly round a blood vessel to stop it bleeding or around the base of a structure (such as the pedicle of a growth) to constrict it.