Dictionary Definition
sequela n : any abnormality following or
resulting from a disease or injury or treatment; "paralysis is one
of the sequelae of poliomyelitis" [also: sequelae (pl)]sequelae See
sequela
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Noun
sequelae- Plural of sequela
Extensive Definition
A sequela, (, plural sequelæ) is a pathological condition
resulting from a disease, injury, or other trauma.
Chronic
kidney disease, for instance, is sometimes a sequela of a
food-borne illness;
post-traumatic stress disorder may be a psychological sequela
of rape.
Typically, a sequela is a chronic condition that
is a complication
of an acute condition that
begins during the acute condition. This is in contrast to a
late
effect.
Sequelae of traumatic
brain injury include headache and dizziness, anxiety, apathy, depression,
aggression, cognitive impairments, personality changes, mania, psychosis. These may also
result from ECT (Electro
convulsive therapy).
There are also sequelae which occur as a result
of treatment for a disease. For instance, one sequela resulting
from chemotherapy used to treat cancer may be "toxic peripheral
neuropathy", a painful chronic condition which is usually
controlled with medication. Not everyone who is treated with
chemotherapy develops toxic peripheral neuropathy but it may occur.