Peripheral means "away from the center." It refers to the areas away from the center of the body or a body part. For example, the hands are peripheral to the shoulder. The toes are peripheral to the knees.
Review Date: 1/22/2007
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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