Medical Terminology for Surgical Technology Flashcards

The suffix '-ectomy' means:

Answer: Surgical removal of

'-ectomy' means surgical removal or excision. Examples: appendectomy (removal of the appendix), cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), mastectomy (removal of breast tissue). It is one of the most frequently used surgical suffixes.

What does the prefix 'brady-' mean?

Answer: Slow

'Brady-' means slow. Bradycardia = slow heart rate; bradypnea = slow respiratory rate. Its opposite is 'tachy-' (fast), as in tachycardia (rapid heart rate).

The medical term 'laparotomy' refers to:

Answer: A surgical incision into the abdominal cavity

'Laparo-' refers to the abdomen/flank, and '-tomy' means incision into. Laparotomy = surgical incision into the abdominal cavity (open surgery). It is distinct from laparoscopy ('-scopy' = to view), which involves camera-assisted minimally invasive examination.

Which anatomical directional term describes the front surface of the body?

Answer: Anterior

'Anterior' (also called ventral) refers to the front surface of the body. 'Posterior' (dorsal) = back. 'Lateral' = toward the side. 'Medial' = toward the body's midline. These directional terms are used extensively in surgical wound descriptions and anatomy.

The suffix '-plasty' means:

Answer: Surgical repair or reconstruction

'-plasty' means surgical repair, reconstruction, or reshaping. Examples: rhinoplasty (reshaping of the nose), arthroplasty (repair/replacement of a joint), mammoplasty (reshaping of the breast). The word 'plastic' in plastic surgery derives from the same Greek root meaning to mold or form.

In surgical terminology, 'anastomosis' refers to:

Answer: A surgically created connection between two hollow structures

Anastomosis is a surgically created junction between two hollow tubular structures, such as segments of bowel (after resection), blood vessels (in bypass surgery), or other organs. Restoring bowel continuity after colectomy is a common example.