Surgical procedures have long and possibly daunting names. Many have been mentioned on such medical drama shows as ER, or the TLC Network show, Trauma: Life in the ER. The meaning of surgical procedure names can be understood if the name is broken into parts. Let us take an example.
Splenectomy: -tomy is a suffix meaning either the removal, or the "cutting up" of a certain part of the body. Splene- means spleen. So, it is the removal of the spleen (or sections thereof).
List of surgical term roots:
- angio-
- bi-
- -ectomy
- hyster-
- lobo-
- mammo-
- masto-
- -oid
- -opsy
- -otomy
- pen-
- -plasty
- vas-
- Abdominal surgery (this article needs attention)
- Adenoidectomy
- Amputation
- Angioplasty
- Appendicectomy (also Appendectomy)
- Bilateral cingulotomy
- Breast biopsy
- Cesarean section
- Cholecystectomy
- Colon resection
- Colostomy
- Commissurotomy
- Clitoridectomy
- Diverticulectomy
- Episiotomy
- Fistulotomy
- Gastrectomy
- Hemorrhoidectomy
- Hernia repair
- Hysterectomy
- Laparoscopy
- Laparotomy
- Lobotomy
- Mammoplasty
- Mastectomy
- Mastoidectomy
- Mentoplasty
- Myotomy
- Nissen fundoplication
- Parathyroidectomy
- Penectomy
- Sphincterotomy
- Splenectomy
- Thoracotomy
- Thyroidectomy
- Tonsillectomy
- Tracheostomy
- Ureterosigmoidostomy
- Vasectomy
