Neurosurgical Abbreviations
- C -

c          with (L. con)

C          centigrade

C1, C2, …                first, second cervical vertebra, etc.

C-arm  fluoroscope

CA       cancer or carcinoma or carotid angioplasty

Ca⁺⁺     calcium

CABG  coronary artery bypass graft surgery

CAC     Carrier Advisory Committee

CAD     coronary artery disease

cal.      calories

CAM    complementary and alternative medicine

cap      capsule

CAPD   continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

CARF   Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation facilities

CAT scan                computer assisted tomography scan

cardio  cardiology

cath     catheter or coronary angiogram

CBC     complete blood count

CBF     cerebral blood flow

CBZ     carbamazepine

cc        carbon copy

cc.       cubic centimeter

CC       chief complaint

c/c       chief complaint

CCI       Correct Coding Initiative (Medicare)

CCM     cryptic cerebrovascular malformation

CCMS  clean catch mid-stream urine

CCN     cervical cord neuropraxia

CCU     coronary care unit or critical care unit

C/D      clean and dry

C/D/I     clean, dry and intact

CDD     cervical disc disease

CDE     common bile duct exploration

CDH     chronic daily headache or cervical disc herniation

CDI       Cotrell-Dubousset instrumentation

CE        covered entities

CEA     corio-embrionic antigen or carotid endarterectomy

CES     cauda equina syndrome

CESI     cervical epidural steroid injection

CEU     continuing education units

cf         conference

CF        complement fixation test

CG       contact guard

cGy     centi-Gray (1 cGy = 1 rad)

ch        chair

CH6     chemistry panel with 6 tests

CH20   chemistry panel with 20 tests

Champus Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (insurance progam)

CHB     complete heart block

CHD     coronary heart disease

CHF     congestive heart failure

chol     cholesterol

chole   cholecystectomy

CHOP   Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

C.I.       cardiac index

CIOMS Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences

circ.     circulation

CJD      Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease

cl.        centiliter

Cl         chloride

CLBP   chronic low back pain

cl. cir   closed circuit

CLIA    Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act

cm.      centimeter

C.M.A. California Medical Association

C.M.E.  Continuing Medical Education

CMS     Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (formerly HCFA)

CMV    cytomegalovirus

CN(I-XII)   cranial nerves

CNS     central nervous system

C.O.     cardiac output

CO       carbon monoxide

c/o       complaints of

CO2     carbon dioxide

coag    coagulation

COE     course of employment

cond.   condition

conj.    conjunctival

CONSORT               Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials

cont.    continuous

cont'd  continued

COPD   chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

cor       heart

COX-2 cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

CP        chest pain or cerebral palsy

CPA     cerebello-pontine angle

CPAP   continuous positive airway pressure (respirator)

CPD     cephalo-pelvic disproportion

CPE      chronic pulmonary emphysema

CPK     creatinine phosphokinase (enzyme)

CPM     central pontine myelinolysis

CPP      cerebral perfusion pressure or coronary perfusion pressure

CPPB   continuous positive pressure breathing

CPR     cardio-pulmonary resuscitation

cps      cycles per second

CPT      Current Procedural Terminology (billing codes)

CPT      chest physical therapy

CPZ     Compazine or Chlorpromazine

CR       closed reduction

C.R.     complete response

crani.   craniotomy

CRF     chronic renal failure

crit       hematocrit

cr. N    cranial nerve(s)

C.R.N.A.  Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist

CRP     complement reactive protein

CRPS   Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

CRTT   Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician

CRVO  central retinal vein occlusion

CS       cerebro-spinal or cesarian section

C&S     culture and sensitivity

C-sect Cesarean section

CSF     cerebro-spinal fluid

CSM     cervical spondylolytic myelopathy

C-spine    cervical spine

CSR     central serous retinopathy or C-section rate

CSRS   Cervical Spine Research Society

CSW    cerebral salt wasting

CT        computer assisted tomographic scan

ct         count

CTR     carpal tunnel release

CTS     carpal tunnel syndrome

CTX     cervical traction

CV       cardiovascular or cerebrovascular

CVA    cerebrovascular accident

cva      costo-vertebral angle

CVD     cerebrovascular disease

CVP     central venous pressure

C.V.R.  cardiovascular respiratory

CVS     cerebral vasospasm or cardio-vascular system

CXR     chest X-ray

CYA    cover your "anatomy"

cysto   cystoscopy

If you are aware of any abbreviations not in this list, your help would be greatly appreciated.  Please send me any abbreviations not on the list and I will update the web site.  Click here to send a comment.