Swelling (medical) Swelling (medical) In medical parlance, swelling, turgescence or tumefaction is a transient abnormal enlargement of a body part or area not caused by proliferation of cells. It is caused by accumulation of fluid in tissues. It can occur throughout the body (generalized), or a specific part or organ can be affected (localized). Swelling is usually not dangerous and is a common reaction to an inflammation or a bruise. Swelling is considered one of the five characteristics of inflammation; along with pain, heat, redness, and loss of function. In a general sense, the suffix "-megaly" is used to indicate a growth,
Supernumerary body part Supernumerary body part Supernumerary body parts are most commonly a congenital disorder involving the growth of an additional part of the body and a deviation from the body plan. Body parts may be easily visible or hidden away, such as internal organs. Many additional body parts form by the same process as conjoined twins: the zygote begins to split but fails to completely separate. This condition may also be a symptom of repeated occurrences of continuous inbreeding in a genetic line. Specific types of additional body parts include: Vestigial structures are anatomical structures of organisms in a species which are