pleurodesis
This term is a highly specialized medical descriptor used almost exclusively within clinical settings, specifically in pulmonology and thoracic surgery. It describes a therapeutic intervention rather than a disease state, carrying a neutral, technical connotation.
As a medical procedure name, it is treated as an uncountable noun in clinical discourse. One does not typically refer to multiple pleurodeses; instead, practitioners refer to the procedure in the singular or use phrases like "multiple attempts at pleurodesis" to describe repeated interventions.
Meanings
A medical procedure in which the pleural space is obliterated to prevent the recurrence of a pleural effusion or a pneumothorax, typically by inducing inflammation of the pleural membranes using a chemical irritant or surgical abrasion.
The patient underwent pleurodesis to treat a persistent spontaneous pneumothorax.