A rare hormonal condition characterised by a failure to start or fully complete puberty and which can affect males and females.
Kalmann's syndrome
Kawasaki disease
A condition of young children that causes fever, inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes (conjunctivitis), a sore throat and a rash.
Kawasaki's disease
A rare acute illness of unknown cause that most commonly affects children under two years old.
kcal
A unit of energy.
Kegel exercises
Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that control urine flow.
keratitis
Inflammation of the cornea.
keratoacanthoma
A relatively common, rapidly growing skin growth.
keratoconjunctivitis sicca
Dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea.
keratoderma blenorrhagica
Skin lesions usually found on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
keratosis
A skin growth caused by an overproduction of keratin, a fibrous protein that is the main constituent of the tough, outer-most layers of skin, nails and hair.
keratosis obturans
The build up of extra skin cells and flakey skin in the ear canal.
keratosis pilaris
A common condition in which patches of rough skin appear on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks. It is not serious and usually clears up without treatment.
ketoacidosis
High acidity of the blood and tissues combined with high levels of ketones in the blood. Ketones are produced during the breakdown of fat.
ketones
A group of compounds that are produced by fat metabolism.
ketosis
Increased levels of ketones in the blood resulting in their excretion in sweat, urine and breath, giving a classic smell like pear drops or nail polish remover. It occurs as a result of metabolic changes during prolonged fasting or starvation and is also common in poorly-controlled diabetes.
keyhole surgery
A type of minimally invasive surgery.
kidney
One of two bean-shaped organs that are located on either side of the body, below the ribcage. The main role of the kidneys is to filter out waste products from the blood.
Klinefelter’s syndrome
A genetic disorder in which a male has an extra X chromosome, XXY instead of XY
koilonychia
A nail disorder that affects the colour, shape, texture and thickness of fingernails.
Korsakoff syndrome
A form of brain damage caused by a lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine). It often follows Wernicke's encephalopathy and is linked with psychosis and memory loss.
Kveim test
A skin test used to diagnose sarcoidosis
kyphosis
an outward curvature of the spine associated with hunching of the back