December 5, 2008
A glossary of anatomical terms
Bobby Palange, age 3, who was accidentally run over by his father's car in their driveway one year ago. (Newsday / Ken Sawchuk / February 20, 2006)
Atrium: either of the heart's two upper chambers, which receive blood from the body (right) or lungs (left) before passing it to the heart's right or left ventricle, respectively.
Brainstem: an elongated, stalk-shaped region of the brain that connects the spinal cord to the upper brain and governs functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion and pupil constriction.
Cartilage: a type of tough connective tissue that lines joints, seeds the development of bone, and forms the flexible portions of structures such as the nose and ears.
Cerebrospinal fluid: a clear, water-like fluid that bathes, protects and nourishes the brain and spinal cord and flows within the brain's four main cavities, or ventricles.
Related links
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Special Report
PART ONE Everything falls apart
PART TWO Bobby wakes up
MORE The push for safety laws
Terms: Medical interventions
Terms: Anatomical
Online resources
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Multimedia
Special report: Saving Bobby
Video: Life at home
Interact: How they did it
Video: First response
Video: The surgery
Video: Bobby getting better
More Multimedia What a driver sees
Audio: After the crash
Consumer Reports: Blind-spot measurements
Consumer Reports: Blind spot test
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How to help
The family and friends of Bobby Palange have set up an account at the Port Jefferson Station branch of Astoria Federal Savings, located at 1015 Route 112, for donations to help defray medical costs not covered by insurance. Call 631-331-2050 for more information. -
Palange family
Photo
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The Story
This account is based on medical records, police reports, direct observation of one surgery and dozens of interviews with family members, neighbors, police officers and medical personnel from four Long Island institutions. Conversations are based on observations, interviews, eyewitness accounts and police records.
Credits
Collagen: a protein fiber that dominates the connective tissue in skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone, providing strength, elasticity and support.
Craniosynostosis: a condition in which one or more sutures between the skull bones close prematurely and leave the head misshapen as the skull accommodates the growing brain.
Cranium: the helmet-like portion of the skull that surrounds the brain.
Descending aorta: The section of the body's largest artery that runs through the chest and abdomen before branching off into two main arteries that travel down the legs.
Dura: also known as the dura mater; the leathery and outermost of three membranes that cover the brain.
Edinger-Westphal nucleus: a site in the brainstem where nerve cells join forces to become an oculomotor nerve component governing constriction of the pupil.
Epidural hematoma: an accumulation of blood between the skull and the dura membrane, often the result of a traumatic injury.
Fascia: a band of fibrous tissue that covers muscles and some organs, offering both protection and structure.
Foramen magnum: a large opening in the base of the skull through which the brainstem's medulla oblongata extends to connect with the spinal cord.
Hemophilia: an inherited genetic disorder marked by the deficiency of a blood-clotting protein and an elevated risk of severe bleeding.
Herniation: the abnormal expansion of an organ or tissue out of its own space or cavity.
Intracranial pressure: the pressure within the cranial part of the skull, which may rise due to swelling of the brain within its confined space.
Neuron: a specialized cell within the brain and central nervous system that transmits messages in the form of electrical signals.
Neurotransmitter: a chemical courier that relays electrical messages across the tiny gaps between neurons.
Oculomotor nerve: a major nerve that arises in the midbrain and governs nearly all eye movements.
Optic nerve: the nerve attached to each eye that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.
Pleural cavity: the tissue-lined cavity between the lungs and the chest wall.
Ramus: refers to one of several branches of the pelvic girdle that connect the pubis to the ischium and ilium bones.
Sphenoid bone: a butterfly-shaped skull bone between the frontal and temporal bones that forms part of the base and back of the eye sockets.
Subclavian vein: either of two major veins that direct blood from the right and left arm into the superior vena cava on its way toward the heart.
Superior sagittal sinus: a major blood channel that runs between the brain's left and right hemispheres, where it collects and drains blood from a variety of smaller vessels.
Superior vena cava: a major vein that directs blood from the head and arms back to the heart via the right atrium.
Sutures: flexible joints between the bones of a newborn's skull that allow for skull expansion before they harden and fuse in later years. Also, the stitches used to close a wound or an incision after surgery.
Temporal bone: a bone on each side of the skull that houses the inner ear.
Trachea: the windpipe, or passageway for air that leads from the larynx to the lungs.
Ventricle: one of four main cavities in the brain, each filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Also, either of the heart's two lower chambers.
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