Medical Terminology – Study Guide 2, Surgical Procedures
Understanding the word parts that describe surgical procedures is important for anyone who works with surgical
patients or medical records.
For example, the suffix –ectomy means surgical removal, or excision.
We know that gastroenterology is the study of the stomach and intestines.
gastr- = stomach
enter- = intestines
-logy = study of
A gastrectomy, then, is the surgical removal, or excision, of the stomach.
This study guide will help build your vocabulary, both in word parts and in surgical terms.
Study the following suffixes.
Study the new terms created when the suffixes are combined with the medical root word.
suffix
definition
term
definition
-ectomy
surgical removal, excision
appendectomy
surgical removal (excision) of the appendix
-tomy
cutting into, incision
tracheotomy
-centesis
puncture a cavity to remove
fluid
amniocentesis
-stomy
a permanent opening
colostomy
a new permanent opening of the colon
-plasty
surgical repair/ reshape
rhinoplasty
surgical repair of the nose
-pexy
surgical fixation
nephropexy
surgical fixation of a floating or mobile kidney
-tripsy
crushing, destroying
lithotripsy
process of crushing a stone in the urinary tract
using ultrasonic vibrations
-rrhaphy
surgical repair/suture
herniorrhaphy
surgical correction of a hernia by suturing
cutting into (incision) the trachea, or windpipe, to
create a direct airway
puncture the amnion, or sac surrounding a fetus,
to remove fluid
Integrated Medical Terminology Study Guide 2 Surgical Procedures