opisthotonos /opis·thot·o·nos/ (o″pis-thot´ŏ-nos) a form of extreme hyperextension of the body in which the head and heels are bent backward and the body bowed forward.opisthoton´ic
opisthotonos
op·is·thot·o·nos ( p  s-tht n- s)n. A tetanic spasm in which the head and feet are drawn backward and the spine arches forward. o·pis tho·tonic (-psth-tnk) adj. |
opisthotonos
[ō′pisthot′ənəs]
Etymology: Gk, opisthios, posterior, tonos, straining
a prolonged severe spasm of the muscles causing the back to arch acutely, the head to bend back on the neck, the heels to bend back on the legs, and the arms and hands to flex rigidly at the joints. It is related to meningitis.
opisthotonos
a form of spasm in which the head and tail are bent upward and the abdomen bowed downward. Indicates a lesion in the area of the medulla, pons and midbrain, or a general decrease in synaptic resistance, as in tetanus.
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