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The information contained on this page is provided as general health information and is not intended to substitute as medical advice and direction from your physician or health care provider. Please direct any questions related to your health care provider. In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency center.

Distal

Definition

Distal refers to sites located away from a specific area, most often the center of the body. In medicine, it refers to parts of the body further away from the center. For example, the hand is distal to the shoulder. The thumb is distal to the wrist.

Distal is the opposite of proximal.

References

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. Distal. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company; 2017. www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/740018/0/distal?q=Distal&ti=0. Accessed February 7, 2017.