The word Corona has been used to describe many structures in the medical field besides the infamous new Corona virus that is spreading fast across boundaries and infecting humans and animals.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly across boundaries and about 36 countries have been affected
- COVID-19 has affected 79,731 people and has resulted in 2,626// deaths
- The word Corona means ‘crown’ and has been used as a nomenclature in the medical field
Heart - Coronary Artery: the name is derived from corona meaning crown, this is the artery that supplies the heart muscle and when it gets blocked, a coronary bypass surgery or an angioplasty and stent is required. The coronary vessels are the most important blood vessels of the heart.
Brain - Corona radiata: This is a bundle of nerve fibers or white matter in the brain and connects the sensory and motor fibers of the cerebral cortex (thinking area) with the brain stem (responsible for one's wakefulness - consciousness, respiration and maintaining blood pressure). The corona radiata can be damaged due to blood supply being cut off leading to stroke. These strokes are called subcortical strokes, lacunar strokes or white matter strokes.
Male Genitalia - Corona of the glans: This is the depression or sulcus between the glans of the penis and the shaft. It serves no specific function but there can be ulcers and infections that can affect the area.
Vessels
- Corona mortis - The corona mortis is an anatomical variant, which in Latin means ‘crown of death’. It is a connection between the obturator and the external iliac or inferior epigastric arteries or veins.
- Corona phlebectatica - It is described as a circular or fan-shaped collection of nonpalpable, small veins below the skin in the regions of the ankles on the inside or its outside and , sometimes extending distally onto the foot. It is considered to be an early sign of more advanced underlying venous disease. Synonyms include ankle flare or malleolar flare. While corona phlebectatica is not specifically mentioned in the current CEAP classification, it is advocated by some for inclusion in future revisions of CEAP.