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Meaning & use

patency

noun·Advancedmedicaltechnical

Last updated

UK/ˈpeɪtənsi/
US/ˈpeɪtnsi/

Meanings

  1. noununcountablemedical

    The condition of a tube, vessel, or passage being open so that blood, air, or fluid can move through it.

    Grammar: Usually has no plural and no article: the patency of the artery, not a patency.

    Patterns

    • the patency of something
    • maintain patency
    • patency in something

    The surgeon checked the patency of the graft before closing the incision.

    Daily flushing helps preserve the patency of a central venous line.

    An ultrasound confirmed the patency of both carotid arteries.

  2. noununcountablerareformal

    The quality of being plainly visible or obvious, so that nobody could miss it.

    Grammar: Rare and formal; it describes how evident something is: the patency of the error.

    Patterns

    • the patency of something

    The patency of the contradiction in his story made further questioning unnecessary.

    Nobody could dispute the patency of the evidence.

Common combinations

maintain patency
The stent is designed to maintain patency for many years.
restore patency
The procedure restored patency to the blocked airway.
vessel patency
Vessel patency was assessed with a Doppler scan.
long-term patency
Long-term patency of vein grafts varies between patients.
assess patency
Nurses assess patency before every infusion.

Synonyms and how they differ

openness
Openness is the everyday word and can describe doors or attitudes, whereas patency almost always refers to a medical passage or tube.
clearness
Clearness suggests nothing is in the way in a general sense, while patency specifically means a passage is unblocked and working.
permeability
Permeability means that substances can seep through a material, but patency means a channel is open from end to end.

Opposites

occlusionblockage

Word family

patent adjective
open and unobstructed, as in a patent duct
patently adverb
obviously, as in patently false
patentable adjective
able to receive legal protection as an invention (a different branch of the word)

Commonly confused: patency or patience?

patency vs patience

Patience is the ability to wait calmly; patency is the openness of a passage. They sound somewhat alike but are unrelated.

Practice

After the angioplasty, the doctor confirmed the ___ of the artery, so blood could flow freely again.

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