retrolental fibroplasia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “retrolental fibroplasia” mean?
A medical condition affecting premature infants, characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth and scarring behind the lens of the eye, often leading to blindness.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medical condition affecting premature infants, characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth and scarring behind the lens of the eye, often leading to blindness.
A retinopathy of prematurity resulting from excessive oxygen therapy in neonatal care, causing fibrous tissue proliferation in the retina and vitreous humor.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both regions use the same medical terminology. Spelling follows regional conventions for related documentation.
Connotations
Purely clinical with historical associations to mid-20th century neonatal care complications.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to medical literature and specialist discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “retrolental fibroplasia” in a Sentence
The premature infant developed retrolental fibroplasia.Retrolental fibroplasia is caused by excessive oxygen.Ophthalmologists monitor for signs of retrolental fibroplasia.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “retrolental fibroplasia” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The retrolental fibroplasia case was discussed at the grand round.
- They noted retrolental fibroplasia changes on the scan.
American English
- The retrolental fibroplasia diagnosis was confirmed.
- Retrolental fibroplasia screening protocols were updated.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in medical research papers, paediatric ophthalmology textbooks, and historical analyses of neonatal care.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Standard term in ophthalmology reports, neonatal unit documentation, and medical education.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “retrolental fibroplasia”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “retrolental fibroplasia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “retrolental fibroplasia”
- Misspelling as 'retrolintal fibroplasia' or 'retrolental fibroplazia'.
- Using it interchangeably with all stages of retinopathy of prematurity (it specifically refers to severe, cicatricial forms).
- Pronouncing 'plasia' as /ˈpleɪsiə/ instead of /ˈpleɪʒə/ or /ˈpleɪzɪə/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily caused by excessive oxygen therapy in premature infants, leading to abnormal blood vessel growth and scarring in the retina.
No, it became rare after the 1950s when the link to high oxygen levels was discovered and neonatal oxygen monitoring protocols were implemented.
In its active stages, laser therapy or anti-VEGF injections may be used. In advanced cicatricial stages, treatment focuses on managing complications like retinal detachment, but vision loss is often permanent.
Retrolental fibroplasia is an older term often used specifically for the severe, scar-forming end-stage of ROP. ROP is the broader modern term encompassing all stages of the disease.
A medical condition affecting premature infants, characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth and scarring behind the lens of the eye, often leading to blindness.
Retrolental fibroplasia is usually technical/medical in register.
Retrolental fibroplasia: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtrəʊˈlɛntəl ˌfaɪbrəʊˈpleɪzɪə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtroʊˈlɛntəl ˌfaɪbroʊˈpleɪʒə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RETRO (behind) + LENTAL (lens) + FIBRO (fibrous tissue) + PLASIA (formation) = fibrous tissue formation behind the lens.
Practice
Quiz
Retrolental fibroplasia is most specifically associated with which patient population?