Medical Terminology - Chapter 1 Medical Terminology - Chapter 1 GENERAL RULE: Slash all words according to how the elements are presented in this class. Appendix A, Page 483, will be used as this classï¿½s reference point. The purpose of this portion of the course is to provide a vocabulary which will assist you in communicating properly between doctors and patients, and to help in understanding the scientific literature. Medical Term - A medical term is a word or phrase made up of elements to express a specific idea. Element: A word part used to form a medical term. All elements in a medical term are essential to its meaning. Each element is a medical term has its own meaning. The book describes these as Word Roots. Word Roots are presented in Bold/Magenta in the book. Example: Element Element Element = Medical Term Nephr This refers to a tumor of glandular material of the kidney. There are 3 types of elements: ROOT (ELEMENT) - The main element within a Medical Term. Often there is more than one root element within the medical term. The root element is always the subject or main topic of the medical term. Roots frequently refer to a body part.

PREFIX (ELEMENT) - An element at the beginning of a medical term which changes in some manner the meaning of the medical term or makes it more specific. Can refer to Location, Time, Number or Status Example: Prefix + Medical Term = Medical term w/ Prefix Hemi + gastrectomy = hemigastrectomy This refers to surgical removal of half of the stomach. SUFFIX (ELEMENT) - an element at the end of a medical term (after the root element) which frequently describes a condition of a body part or an action to a body part. Can also refer to a Procedure, Condition, Disorder or Disease Additional Medical Terminology Components include: WORD TERMINAL - a word terminal is a suffix or word ending which denotes the part of speech of the medical term (noun, verb, adjective). COMBINING VOWEL - a combining vowel (usually O or I and less frequently U) is used between two elements of a medical term to make the term easier to pronounce. Occasionally the other vowels may be used.

Example: Without combining vowel: hepatmalacia (hepat/malacia) With combining vowel: hepatomalacia (hepat/o/malcia) Examples of word terminals: The following word terminals are used in your everyday vocabulary: (See Page 483 for full list) Adjective terminals (pertaining to) Noun Terminals -ic -y -ical -um -ac -is WORD ROOT with Vowels = COMBINING FORM - a combining form is a root with an added combing vowel which the root usually carries when used in combination with another element. Example: Root + combining Vowel + Element = Medical Term Gastr o enteric = gastroenteric PROBLEMS OF LITERAL INTERPRETATIONS To be certain that you are accurately interpreting a medical term, always refer to an authoritative medical dictionary. Failure to do this may result in the inaccurate in interpretation of medical terms. Example: cardiectomy (cardi=heart, ectomy=surgical removal of all or part of) Therefore, one might reasonably (but inaccurately) assume that cardiectomy means surgical removal of all or part of the heart.

To quote one authoritative source, cardiectomy means "surgical removal of the upper end of the stomach.) NOTE: The meaning of this medical term was probably derived from the fact that the upper end of the stomach is the cardiac end or the end toward the heart. In any case, it clearly emphasizes the importance of referring to an authoritative medical dictionary rather than accepting the literal interpretation of a medical term. To determine a Medical Termï¿½s meaning by looking at the component pieces, you must first separate it into the individual Elements and Word Roots. Some tips: Most people like to start at the end of the word and work towards the beginning; Others like to start at the beginning of a word and work towards the end; Try it both ways. As you begin to learn this new vocabulary, the process will become easier and make more sense. Always remember to use a good Medical Dictionary as the final judge.

Example: Oto/rhin/o/laryng/ology ï¿½ study of the ears, nose and throat _______________________________________________ Rules for using Combining Vowels: A combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel (A-E-I-O-U) A Combining Vowel is used when the suffix begins with a Consonant A Combining Vowel is Always used when 2 or more root elements are joined A Prefix does not require a combining vowel.

Do not place a combining vowel between a prefix and the word root Page 5 gives examples of Suffixes: Suffixes related to Pathology ï¿½ path/ology ï¿½ pertaining to disease or illness Cardi/ac ï¿½ pertaining to the heart Crani/um ï¿½ portion of the skull that encloses the brain Gastr/osis ï¿½ Disease of the stomach Gastr/algia ï¿½ pain in the stomach Gastr/o/dynia ï¿½ pain in the stomach Gastr/itis ï¿½ inflammation of the stomach Arteri/o/malacia ï¿½ abnormal softening of the walls of an artery Hepat/o/megaly ï¿½ abnormal enlargement of the liver Arteri/o/necrosis ï¿½ tissue death of an artery Arteri/o/sclerosis ï¿½ abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery Arteri/o/stenosis ï¿½ abnormal narrowing of an artery Suffixes related to Procedures Abdomin/o/centesis ï¿½ surgical puncture of the abdominal cavity Append/ectomy ï¿½ surgical removal of the appendix Angi/o/graphy ï¿½

 x-ray study of the blood vessels Angi/o/gram ï¿½ film produced by angiography My/o/plasty ï¿½ surgical repair of a muscle Endo/scopy ï¿½ visual examination of the interior of a body cavity or organ The Double RRs There are suffixes, referred to as the ï¿½double RRsï¿½ which are grouped together in the book to avoid confusion: Hem/o/rrhage ï¿½ loss of a large amount of blood My/o/rrhaphy ï¿½ to suture a muscle wound Dia/rrhea ï¿½ abnormally frequent loose or watery stools My/o/rrhexis ï¿½ rupture of a muscle Prefixes Pre/nat/al ï¿½ time and events before birth Peri/nat/al time and events surrounding birth (just before, during and after) Post/nat/al time and events after birth Some prefixes are confusing because they are similar in spelling but opposite in meaning.

The more common prefixes of this type are summarized in Table 1.4, page 8. Examples: Ab- away from / ad- toward or in the direction of Dys- bad, difficult, painful / eu- good, normal well, or easy Hyper- excessive or increased / hypo- deficient or decreased Inter- between or among / intra- within or inside Sub- under, less or below / super-, supra- above or excessive Tips for Slashing and determining meanings of Medical Words 1. Always start at the end of the word, with the Suffix and work toward the beginning; 2. As you separate the word parts, identify the meaning of each. Identifying the meaning of each part should give you a definition of the term; 3. Because some word parts have more than one meaning, it also is necessary to determine the context in which the term is being used (i.e., which Body System ï¿½ more on this in Chapter 2); 4. Always use a Medical Dictionary to double-check any definition. Spelling & Pronunciation Spelling of Medical Terms is very importantï¿½. Again, always use a medical Dictionary if you are not sure about the spelling of a Medical term.

Also, a medical term is easier to understand and remember whey you know how to pronounce it properly. Frequently there may be more than one correct way to pronounce a medical term. Many Medical terms are based on their Greek, Latin or other origins. The current trend is to pronounce them as they sound in English. Abbreviations Abbreviations are frequently used as a shorthand way to record long and complex medical terms. Appendix B in the back of the book (Page 501) contains an alphabetized list of many of the more commonly used medical abbreviations. Singular and Plural Endings Many medical terms have Greek or Latin origins, as previously mentions. As a result of these different origins, there are unusual rules for changing a singular word into a plural form Table 1.6, Page 11, provides guidelines to help you better understand how these plurals are formed.

Guideline malleoli Sound-alike Medical Terms and Word parts Just like in the English language, there are commonly used Medical terms that sound alike, but have different meanings: End/arteri/al ï¿½ pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery Ather/oma ï¿½ fatty deposit within the wall of an artery Arthr/algia ï¿½ pain in a joint -ectomy ï¿½ surgical removal -ostomy ï¿½ surgically create and artificial opening -otomy ï¿½ cutting into or a surgical incision Basic Medical Terms Table 1.7, Page 12, lists some commonly used Medical Terms used to describe diseases and abnormal conditions: Sign ï¿½ evidence of a disease, such as a fever.

A sign is Objective, because it can be evaluated or measured by others; Symptom ï¿½ such as pain, is Subjective, as it can be evaluated or measured only by the patient Syndrome ï¿½ is a set of the signs and symptoms that occur together as part of a specific disease process Diagnosis ï¿½ the identification of a disease Differential diagnosis ï¿½ attempts to determine which one of several disease may be producing the symptoms Prognosis - is a forecast or prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disorder Acute ï¿½ has a rapid onset and usually a severe course of short duration Chronic ï¿½ has a longer onset period and last for a long duration Remission ï¿½ the partial or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure Eponym ï¿½ a disease structure, operation or procedure named for the person who first discovered or described it. (Alzheimerï¿½s disease.) Acronym ï¿½ is a word formed from the initial letter or letters of the major parts of a compound term.

(Laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.) Infection ï¿½ is the invasion of the body by a pathogenic (disease producing) organism. Infections can be local in area or systemic (affecting the entire body). Inflammation ï¿½ is a localized response to injury or destruction of tissues. Some basic (Cardinal) signs or indications that Inflammation is present include: redness, heat, swelling, pain. (-itis is the suffix Element) Ectomy definition by Babylon’s free dictionary Wikipedia Dictionaries English Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia The surgical terminology suffix "-ectomy" was taken from Greek εκ-τομια = "act of cutting out". It means surgical removal of something, usually from inside the body. See more at Wikipedia.org... medical terms Medical Terms - Dissected, Defined And Explained Compiled and written by Charlotte Edwards, UCL, Aug 2004 © Medical (especially anatomical) terms are daunting at first. They can seem almost like a different language. It is important not to panic. Don’t attempt to memorise lists of words. Terms will soon become familiar once you start using them in the dissection room.

The most useful approach is to understand the derivation of key words. Often their component parts come up time and time again, within unfamiliar words. By learning the meaning of these, you can often work out what a new word means - or see where it came from. This glossary should help transform rote learning into something far more productive. It is by no means exhaustive, but the derivations are relevant in many subject areas. Students already familiar with Latin and/or Greek will have a head start. A short glossary of Physiology and Related Sciences is also available. Suggestions, corrections, additions: Click Agammaglobulinaemic = blood (haem) lacks gammaglobulin Apnoea = cessation of breathing (N.B. see also ad- and an-) Ab = away from (Latin) Abduction = movement of limb away from the midline of the body. Abembryonic = away from or opposite the embryo Ad = towards, beside (Latin) Adduction = movement of limb towards the midline of the body. Adaxial = towards the main axis N.B.

often becomes a- followed by a double letter as in the following Affect (verb) = do something to something (Contrast effect: see under E- ) Agglutination = particles sticking to each other -aemia = suffix denoting a specified bio-chemical condition of the blood Hyperglycaemia = excess sugar in the blood Anaemia = reduction in the amount of haemoglobin in the blood An- = prefix denoting without, lacking Anaerobe = an organism that is able to live and grow in the absence of free oxygen Anaesthesia = loss of feeling or sensation in a part or all of the body (N.B. in some cases the same meaning of ‘without’ can be conveyed by the ‘A’- alone as the prefix) Angio- = prefix denoting blood or lymph vessels Angina pectoris = pain in the centre of the chest occurring when the demand for blood by the heart exceeds the supply of the coronary arteries Angiogenesis = the formation of new blood vessels Ante = before (Latin) Anterior = near or nearer to the front. Antenatal = before birth (N.B.

do not confuse with Anti- = opposite, against) Antidromic = describes impulses travelling the wrong way in a nerve fibre Anticoagulant = a drug that prevents the clotting of blood (N.B. do not confuse with Ante- = before) -ase = suffix denoting enzyme that breaks down a substance Lactase = enzyme that breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose Dehydrogenase = enzyme that catalyses an oxidation reaction Arthr(o)- = relating to joints [Grk] Aural = relating to the ear (auricula = ear, Latin) Auriscope = apparatus used to examine the eardrum and passage leading to it (N.B. do not confuse with oral = relating to the mouth) Bi = two Bicuspid = having two cusps e.g.

the mitral valve of the heart Biceps = a muscle with two heads Brachi- = related to the arm Brachial artery = artery in the arm running from the armpit to the elbow Brachialgia = pain in the arm Brady- = prefix denoting slowness Bradycardia = slowing of heart rate to less than 50 beats per minute Bradylalia = abnormally slow speech Broncho- = prefix denoting bronchial tree Bronchitis = inflammation of the bronchi Bronchospasm = narrowing of bronchi by muscular contraction in response to some stimulus Calc- = relating to calcium (Latin) Hypercalcaemia = high blood calcium Cardi- = prefix denoting the heart Cardiomegaly = enlargement of the heart Cardiac muscle = muscle of the heart wall Cephal- = prefix denoting the head Cephalocele = neural tube defect Cephalalgia = pain in the head Coronal plane = divides the body into dorsal (back) and ventral (front) parts Costa = rib (Latin) Costal groove = groove on the undersurface of each typical rib behind which intercostal nerves and vessels run Intercostals = muscles running between the ribs Cyst =

 an abnormal sac or closed cavity lined with epithelium and filed with liquid or semisolid matter Cyst- = prefix denoting a bladder esp.

the urinary bladder Cystitis = inflammation of the urinary bladder, often caused by infection Cystalgia = pain in the urinary bladder Cyto- = prefix denoting cell or cytoplasm -cyte = suffix denoting cell or cytoplasm Cytokinesis = division of the cytoplasm of the cell Chondrocyte = a cartilage cell Di- = prefix denoting two (Latin) Dipeptide = compound consisting of two amino acids joined together by a peptide bond Disaccharide =carbohydrate consisting of two linked monosaccharide units .. beware confusion with dis- Dia- = through, throughout Dialysis = method of separating particles of different dimensions in a liquid mixture, using a thin semi-permeable membrane Diarrhoea = frequent bowel evacuations or the passage of abnormally soft faeces Dis- = reversed or separated Dislocation = separation of bones in a joint Disinfection = removal of infection ..easily confused with di- meaning two (e.g. disulphide) or dys- meaning abnormal (e.g.

dysfunction) Distal = situated away from the origin or point of attachment or from median line of the body Dors- = prefix denoting the back (from dorsum, Latin) Dorsal = situated close to the back of body or the posterior of an organ Dorsoventral = extending from back to front surface Dys- = abnormal, painful E- (see also Ex-) = out of, outside, from Evaginate = protrude outside a covering Effect (noun) = outcome, arising from something: Drugs often have both good and bad effects. Effect (verb) = have as an outcome: Drugs can effect cures. Distinguish carefully from Affect (verb) = do something to: Effective pain-killers may affect the patient's alertness. -ectomy = cutting and removing Lobectomy = removing a lobe of an organ Appendicectomy = removal of the appendix Endo = within Endogenous = arising within a tissue Endoderm = inner of the three germ layers of the early embryo Epi = above, surrounding Epidermis = outer parts of skin Epicardium = layer of tissue immediately surrounding the heart (part of pericardium), the outermost layer of the heart wall.

Eu = normal Eupepsia = state of normal or good digestion Erythr- = prefix denoting redness Erythrocyte = red blood cell Erythema = redness, rubor – a flushing of the skin due to dilation of the blood capillaries in the dermis Ex = out of, from (Latin) Extension = opposite of flexion. The movement of a joint, in the sagittal plane, making the angle between bones greater. E.g. kicking a ball, extends the knee. N.B. Often becomes just e-, sometimes followed by a double letter e.g.: Effusion = escape of a fluid (e.g. blood) from tissue. Exo = outside Exogenous = something not usually found within tissue. Expiration = the act of breathing out from lungs Extra = outside (Latin) Extrapleural = relating to tissues of chest wall outside the parietal pleura. Extraembryonic coelom = the cavity, lined with mesoderm that surrounds the embryo from the earliest stages of development. Fer- = carry (from fero = I carry, Latin) Afferent = carry into e.g.

an afferent blood vessel feeds a capillary network in an organ Efferent = carry from e.g. designated vessels that drain fluid from an organ Transfer = carry across (N.B. do not confuse with ferr- = prefix relating to iron ferritin = iron/ protein complex stored in tissue ferrous compounds = compounds of iron where the iron is in its +2 oxidation state ferric compounds = compounds of iron where iron is in its +3 oxidation state) Fissure = a groove or cleft (from fissilis = split, Latin) Oblique fissure = divides lung into lobes and runs around the lung Horizontal fissure = divides right lung into 3 lobes and extends laterally to meet the oblique fissure. Flex- = bend (from flexus, Latin) Flexion = movement of joint in the sagittal plane, usually making the angle between bones less e.g. bringing fist towards shoulder.

Lateral flexion (usually of the spine) = bending to the side Fossa = a depression or hollow, (literal translation = ditch, trench, Latin) Iliac fossa = the depression in the inner surface of the ileum Fossa ovalis = depression on wall of the right atrium that separates the right atrium from the left. It represents the septum primum of the developing heart.

-genic = giving rise to (Latin) -genous = arising from (Latin) exogenous = something that comes from outside the body Glomerulus (Latin) A small ball like structure as in kidney glomeruli, synaptic glomeruli Haemo-, haem-, haemato-, -aem- ( hemo- etc.) = relating to blood haemostasis = arrest of bleeding haematocrit = fraction of blood volume occupied by red cells Hemi- = prefix that in medicine denotes the right or left half of the body Hemianaesthesia = anaesthesia of one side of the body Hemicolectomy = surgical removal of about half of the colon (large intestine) Hepat- = prefix denoting the liver Hepatic artery = artery that supplies the liver Hepatic flexure = the bend in the colon underneath the liver where the ascending colon joins the transverse colon. Hetero = different, varied Heterozygous = describes an individual in whom the pairs of genes determining a particular characteristic are dissimilar Heterotopia = displacement of an organ or part of body from its normal position.

Histo- = prefix denoting tissue Histology = study of the structure of tissues by means of staining techniques combined with light and electron microscopy Histogenesis = the formation of tissues Homo = the same Homogeneous, homogenous = having uniform properties Homologous = describing organs or parts that have the same basic structure and evolutionary origin, but not necessarily the same function or superficial structure. Hydr- = prefix denoting water or a watery fluid (Latin) Hydrocele = accumulation of watery liquid in a sac. Hydrocephalus = an abnormal increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles of the brain Hyper = above normal Hyperventilate = breathing more than normal Hyperglycaemia = an excess of blood glucose in the blood stream. Hypo = below, less than normal Hypodermic = below the skin Hypotension = condition in which the arterial blood pressure is abnormally low In vitro = literally translated as ‘in glass’. Usually refers to a procedure carried out isolated from body and maintained in a tissue bath. (vitrum =glass, Latin) In vivo = a procedure carried out with tissue in normal position within the body.

(vivo = I live, Latin) Inter = between (Latin) (N.B. do not confuse with intra!) Intercellular = between cells Intercostals = muscles that occupy the spaces between the ribs Intra = inside (Latin) Intraperitoneal = an injection given into the abdominal cavity Ipsi = same, self (Latin) Ipsilateral = on the same side Iso- = prefix denoting equality, uniformity and similarity Isotonic = having the same osmolarity or (in physiology) effective osmolarity (taking account of the solute permeability of cell membranes). Isodactylism = a congenital defect in which all the fingers are the same length. -itis = suffix denoting inflammation of an organ, tissue etc.

Arthritis = inflammation of a joint Peritonitis = inflammation of the peritoneum Kal- = relating to potassium (Kalium – hence symbol K, Latin) Hypokalaemia = low blood potassium Hyperkalaemia = high blood potassium Late = wide, far (Latin) Lateral = in anatomy relates to the region or parts of the body that are furthest from the median plane -logy = suffix denoting field of study Cytology = study of cells Nephrology = study, investigation and management of the diseases of the kidney -lysis = disruption, destruction or release Haemolysis = destruction of red cells Anxiolytic = causing relief from anxiety Medial = relating to or situated in the central region of an organ, tissue or the body (from medius = mid, middle, Latin) Median plane (sagittal plane) = plane dividing the body or an organ into equal right and left halves Mediastinum = space in the thorax between the two pleural sacs that contains amongst other things the heart Mening- = relating to the meninges (membranes covering the brain) (Greek) Meningitis = inflammation of the meninges Muco- = prefix denoting mucus (Latin) M

ucociliary = the process by which cilia move a thin film of mucus from the lower and upper respiratory tracts towards the digestive tract Mucosa = mucous membrane, a moist membrane that lines many tubular structures and cavities e.g.

nasal cavity My- = prefix denoting muscle Myoblast = a cell that develops into a muscle fibre Myocardial infarction = death of a segment of heart muscle, which follows interruption of its blood supply Natri = relating to sodium (Natrium - hence symbol Na, Latin) Natriuretic factor = factor leading to extra sodium appearing in the urine Natriuresis = excretion of sodium in the urine Nephro- = prefix denoting the kidneys (Greek) (N.B see renal = relating to the kidney, Latin) Nephritis = inflammation of the kidney Nephron = the active unit of excretion in the kidney Neuro- = prefix denoting nerves or the nervous system Neurolemma = sheath of the axon of the nerve fibre Neurone = basic functional unit of the nervous system; a cell specialized to transmit electrical nerve impulses Normo = normal (Latin) Normocapnic = normal carbon dioxide levels within the blood.

Normotensive = describes the state in which the arterial blood pressure is within the normal range -oma = suffix denoting a tumour Hepatoma = tumour of the liver Lymphoma = tumour of the lymph nodes Oral = relating to the mouth (os, oris = mouth, Latin) Oral cavity = the mouth Oral contraceptive = ‘the pill’ (taken via the mouth) (N.B. do not confuse with aural = relating to the ear) Ortho- = prefix denoting straight Orthodontics = branch of dentistry concerned with the treatment of the irregularities of the teeth. Orthopaedics = practice of the correction of deformities caused by disease or damage to the bone and joints of the skeleton -osis = a diseased condition that involves the preceding part of the word e.g. Tuberculosis, Nephrosis Oste(o)- = relating to bone [Grk] Para Parathyroid = gland beside the thyroid Paranasal = near the nasal cavity Peri = surrounding or around (Latin) Perineurium = sheath around nerve. Perinatal = around the time of birth. -physis = growth Hypophysis = outgrowth under the brain i.e.

the pituitary gland -plegic = suffix denoting paralysis Diplegia = paralysis of both sides of the body, particularly the legs Hemiplegia = paralysis of one side of the body Pneo- = prefix denoting breathing Pneumo- = prefix denoting the presence of air or gas Pneumothorax = air in the pleural cavity Pneumocephalus = the presence of air within the skull Pneumon- = prefix denoting the lungs Pneumonia = inflammation of the lung caused by bacteria, in which the alveoli become filled with inflammatory cells and the lung becomes solid Pneumonectomy = surgical removal of the lung Poly- = prefix denoting many, multiple Polysome = a group of ribosomes linked together by messenger RNA molecules, formed during translation process of protein synthesis Polysaccharide = carbohydrate formed from many monosaccharide molecules joined in long linear and branched chains Post = after, behind (Latin) Posterior = near or nearer backend or tail Posteroanterior = from the back to the front Proximal = situated close to the origin or point of attachment or close to the median line of the body (from proximus = nearest, Latin) Quad

ri- = prefix denoting four (Latin) Quadriceps = a great extensor muscle of the leg, situated in the thigh and divided into four distinct portions Quadriplegia = paralysis affecting all four limbs Renal = relates to the kidney (Latin) (N.B.

see nephro- = prefix denoting the kidney, Greek) Renal artery = either of the two arteries arising from the abdominal aorta and supplying the kidneys. Renal tubule = fine tubular part of nephron through which water and certain dissolved substances are reabsorbed back into the blood -rrhage = denotes excessive or abnormal flow or discharge from an organ or part haemorrhage = excessive bleeding -rrhoea = flow or discharge from an organ or part Diarrhoea = frequent bowel evacuations or passage of abnormally soft faeces. Rhinorrhoea = flow from the nose Saccharo- = prefix denoting sugar Disaccharide = carbohydrate consisting of two linked monosaccharide units Polysaccharide = carbohydrate formed from many monosaccharide molecules joined in long linear and branched chains Sagittal = an anatomical plane that divides the body longitudinally into left and right parts, parallel to the median plane. Stasis = constancy, cessation of movement (Latin) Homeostasis = physiological process by which the internal systems of the body are maintained at equilibrium, despite variations in the external conditions.

-stoma = mouth Stoma = in surgery, an artificial opening of a tube tracheostomy = an artificial opening (mouth) in the trachea colostomy = an artificial opening in the colon that has been brought to the surface of the abdomen ileostomy = an artificial opening in the colon that has been brought to the surface of the abdomen Sub = under, beneath (Latin) Superior = situated uppermost in the body related to another structure or surface Superficial = situated at or close to a surface Supine = lying on the back (often a term used to describe lazy people) (Latin) Supra = above (Latin) Suprapubic region = area found above the pubic region (N.B.

also known as the hypogastric region.) Suprarenal = above the kidney Tachy- = prefix denoting fast, rapid Tachypnoea = rapid breathing -thermic = relating to temperature (Latin) Exothermic = a reaction in which heat is given out Thermoreceptor = a sensory nerve ending that responds to hot and cold -tomy = cutting Lobotomy = incising a lobe of a organ Gastrotomy = a surgical incision into the stomach Topo- = prefix denoting place, position and location Topical = local, used for the route of administration of a drug that is applied directly to the part being treated Topography = study of the different regions of the body including how the parts relate to surrounding structures (N.B. do not confuse with either, tropic = related to direction, or trophic = related to nutrition e.g.

trophotropic = turning towards food Toxi- = prefix denoting poisonous, toxic Toxin = poison produced by a living organism, usually a bacterium Toxaemia = blood poisoning that is caused by toxins formed by bacteria growing in a local site of infection Trans = across (Latin) Transverse = In anatomy, situated at right angles to the long axis of the body Transverse plane (horizontal plane) = plane dividing organ into top and bottom halves Tri- = prefix denoting three (Latin) Tricuspid valve = valve in heart between right atrium and right ventricle, made up of three cusps Triceps = a muscle with three heads of origin -trophic, -trophy = relating to nutrition (Greek) Dystrophy = disordered nutrition Atrophy = wasting, reduction in size Hypertrophy = over-development -tropic, -tropy, etc. = attracted to, turning towards, or affecting.

(Greek) Neurotropic virus = one targetting nerves Phototropism = orienting to light Uni- = prefix denoting one Unilateral = in anatomy, relating to or affecting one side of the body or one side of an organ or other part -uresis = relating to or appearing in the urine proteinuresis = protein in the urine diuresis = extra urine Vaso- = relating to a vessel, usually a blood vessel (Latin) Vasectomy = removal of part of vas deferens Vasoactive = affecting the diameter of blood vessels Ventral = front (venter = stomach, abdomen Latin) ventro-medial = direction towards the front and the midline ventricle = fluid filled chamber in the heart/brain ('small belly') Surgical Terms - ANZ Journal of Surgery Surgical Terms A list of common surgical terms, including the meaning and origin of prefixes and suffixes.

PREFIXES A-/An- not, without, less, absent: also, in a particular place or condition (Old English, from an, an alternative for on) Ab- Away from, off (Indo-European ‘off, away’) Ad- To, toward (Latin ad, ‘toward, near’) Aer- Against, opposite (Greek anti, ‘opposite, against’) Apo- Down, back, apart (Greek kata) Cephal- To do with the colon Con- Blue (Greek kuanos, ‘dark blue’) Contra- Finger or toe (Greek daktulos) De- Bad or abnormal (Greek dus-) Ect-, Ecto- External, outside (Greek ektos ‘out’) Eu- In, within, inside (Greek endo) Entero- Small intestine (Greek enteron.

‘in, inside’) Epi- On, over, above (Greek epi, ‘upon’) Ex, exo- Beyond or outside (Latin extra, ‘outside, beyond’) Fore- Producing or related to genes (Greek genos, ‘offspring, race’) Glosso- Water or liquid (Greek hudor) Hyper- Above or excessive (Greek huper) Hypo- Under or low (Greek hupo) Idio- Private or individual (Greek idios, ‘one’s own, private’) Ileo- Between, among (Latin inter, ‘between, among’) Intra- Within or inside (Latin intra) Intro- Into or inward (Latin intro) Iso- Horn-like tissue, cornea (Greek keras, ‘horn’) Kinese- Stone or callculus (Greek lithos, ‘stone’) Macro- Later, behind (Greek meta, ‘beside, after’) Micro- Fungus, fungi (Greek mukes.

‘slimy’) Myo- Correct; straight (Greek orthos, ‘straight, right’) Os- More than one (Greek polus, ‘much’) Post- False, spurious (Greek pseud ‘to lie’) Psych- Relating to the pelvis of the kidney Re- Nose, nasal (Greek rhis, ‘nose’) Sacro- Under, below, beneath (Latin sub, ‘under’) Supra- Over, on top of (Latin supra, ‘above, beyond’) Syn- Accelerated, rapid (Greek takhus, ‘swift’) Tampon- Going across a structure (Latin trans, ‘across, over, through’) Tropho- Substance promoting a flow of something (Greek agogos, ‘a drawing off’) -algia Relating to the heart (Greek kardia, ‘heart’) -cele A cavity (Greek koilos, ‘hollow’) e.g. hydrocoele -cyst Flesh (Greek kreas, ‘flesh’) e.g. pancreas -dynia Dilatation of ducts -ectomy Surgical excision of a part of the body (Latin -ectomia, ‘cutting out’) e.g.

tonsillectomy – excision of the tonsils -fuge The capacity to produce (Greek -genus, ‘born’) -gogue An imaging technique using contrast medium -itis Inflammation (Greek) e.g. appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix) -lasis Anormal enlargement (Greek megal-) e.g. splenomegaly -morphic Something that has a particular form, shape, or structure (Greek morphe) e.g. pleomorphic -nexal From ‘nexus’ indicating a connection or link e.g. adnexal -oid A tumour (Latin) e.g. hepatoma – a tumour of the liver -osis Inspection of a cavity -ostomy A connection between two hollow organs e.g. cholecystoduodenostomy – an anastomosis between the gall bladder and the duodenum -ostosis Formation of bone (Greek osteon, ‘bone’) -otomy To cut into a part of the body (Latin -tomia, ‘cutting’) e.g.

laparotomy – an incision into the peritoneum -penia Eating (Greek phagein ‘to eat’) -pathy Disorder or disease (Greek pathos) -plasia Growth or formation (Greek plassein, ‘to form, mould’) -plasty Surgical revision e.g. pyloroplasty (Greek plastos, ‘refashion’) -plegia Flow, discharge (Greek rhein, ‘to flow’) -sclerosis Contraction of the heart (Greek sustole ‘to contract’) -tomy Having an affinity for, turning towards -uretic TERMS Abscess A localised collection of pus (Latin abscessus, ‘to go away’ - referring to bodily humours going away in the pus) Adenoma A benign epithelial tumour of glandular origin Aneurysm Dilatation of an artery (Greek aneurusma, ‘dilation, swelling’) Antegrade Going in the direction of flow, e.g.

antegrade pyelogram Arrhythmia Disturbance or irregularity of the heartbeat Axillary Of, relating to, or located near the axilla (armpit) Ballotment To divide into two parts or branches Biliary Of or relating to bile, the bile ducts, or the gallbladder Cannulation The insertion of a cannula or tube into a hollow body organ Capillary A tube of small internal diameter Cirrhosis Chronic degenerative disease of the liver Claudication Claudius I (10BC – 54AD), Emperor of Rome had a limp, possibly due to polio. Hence the Latin term claudus for ‘lame’.

Colitis Relating to or existing on or affecting the skin Diverticulum Plural diverticula (hence, use of the term ‘diverticulae’ is erroneous) Dysplasia Abnormal development or growth of tissues, organs, or cells Embolus A blood clot that becomes lodged in a blood vessel and obstructs it (Greek embolos, ‘peg, stopper, wedge’) Empyema A collection of pus in a body cavity Endarterectomy Surgical removal of the inner lining of an artery that is clogged with atherosclerosis En bloc On mass; all together Fistula A pipe or tube (Latin), plural fistulae. An abnormal communication between two hollow viscera, or one hollow viscera and the skin. It is conventional to name the diseased viscus first i.e. colovesical fistula due to diverticula disease; whereas, vesicocolic fistula from a bladder cancer.

Fundoplication A surgical procedure involving making tucks in the fundus of the stomach around the lower end of the oesophagus Ganglioma A tumour of a ganglion Gangrene Death of tissue with putrefaction, sometimes referred to as ‘wet’ gangrene (Greek gaggraina, ‘death of tissue). C.f.

necrosis, mummification Haematoma Infarct: localized necrosis resulting from obstruction of the blood supply Inguinal Of, relating to, or located in the groin Intussusception The enfolding of one segment of the intestine within another Ischaemia An inadequate supply of blood to a part of the body caused by blockage of an artery Keloid An area of raised pink or red fibrous scar tissue at the edges of a wound or incision (Greek khele, ‘crab claw’) Laparoscopy Laparotomy performed with a laparoscope that makes a small incision to examine the abdominal cavity Lymphoma Any of various usually malignant tumours that arise in the lymph nodes or in other lymphoid tissue Maxillary Of or relating to a jaw or jawbone, especially the upper one Mesenteric Of or relating to or located in a mesentery Mesothelioma A form of carcinoma of the mesothelium lining lungs or abdomen or heart; usually associated with exposure to asbestos dust Metastasis The spreading of a disease (especially cancer) to another part of the body Mummification Death of tissue with desiccation rather than putrefaction, sometimes referred to as ‘dry’ gangrene.

(French momifier, ‘to dry out and shrivel’) Necrosis Death of tissue with structural evidence of such death Nephrectomy Surgical removal of a kidney Occlusion Closure or blockage (as of a blood vessel) Omental Pertaining to the omentum (a fold of peritoneum supporting the viscera) Ossification The developmental process of bone formation Paediatric Of or relating to the medical care of children Perfusion Pumping a liquid into an organ or tissue (especially by way of blood vessels) Peritoneal Of or relating to or affecting the peritoneum Popliteal Of or relating to the area behind the knee joint Psoas Either of two muscles of the abdomen and pelvis that flex the trunk and rotate the thigh Retrograde Going a reverse direction against flow e.g.

endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP) Sebaceous The presence of pus-forming bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues Sigmoid Curved in two directions (like the letter S) Sinus A blind tract lined with granulation tissue hollow or gulf (Latin, ‘curve, fold, hollow’) Slough A piece of dead soft tissue or water (Old English sloh, a hole or low area in the ground filled with mud) Splenic Of or relating to the spleen Squamous Covered with or formed of scales; scaly Stent An artificial tube inserted into a tubular organ to keep it open Stoma Surgical opening: an artificial opening made in an organ, especially an opening in the colon (colostomy) or ileum (ileostomy) made via the abdomen. (Greek, ‘mouth’).

Plural stomata Subacute Used to describe a medical condition that develops less rapidly and with less severity than an acute condition Suture The fine thread or other material used surgically to close a wound or join tissues; an immovable joint (especially between the bones of the skull) Thrombus A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel and remains at the site of formation (Greek thrombos, ‘clot’) Tomography Obtaining pictures of the interior of the body Tonsillar Of or pertaining to the tonsils Ulcer A non-traumatic discontinuity of an epithelial surface (Latin ulcer, ‘a sore’) Varicose veins Dilated, lengthened, and tortuous veins Ventricular

Question: In medicine, which suffix denotes the surgical removal of something, usually from inside the body?
Answer: -ectomy