laparoscopy a minimally invasive surgical technique in which a small incision is made in the abdomen through which instruments may be inserted to perform a wide array of tasks, from examination of tissue to organ removal.
laryngectomy removal of the larynx (voice box).
lidocaine a local anesthetic agent.
lipectomy the removal of excess body fat.
liposuction a plastic surgery process in which excess fat is sucked from the body as a means of weight loss.
SURGICAL AND MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND RELATED TERMS 339
lobectomy removal of one of the five lobes of the lungs.
lobotomy removal of the front portion of the brain as a treatment for severe mental illness.
lumpectomy the removal of a tumor or mass.
mammoplasty plastic surgery to improve the appearance of the breasts.
mastectomy removal of a breast.
mastoplasty plastic surgery to reduce the size of the breasts.
McBurney's incision an angular incision in the lower right abdomen, for removal of the appendix.
myectomy removal of part or all of a muscle.
myringotomy an incision into the eardrum to remove pus.
nephrectomy removal of a kidney.
neurosurgery surgery of the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
nitrous oxide the anesthetic gas better known as laughing gas.
Ober operations in cases of paralysis, the transplanting of muscles and tendons.
odontectomy removal of the teeth.
oophorectomy removal of an ovary.
oral surgery surgery of the mouth or gums.
osteoclasis the deliberate rebreaking of a bone to more accurately set its alignment.
otoplasty plastic surgery to correct such ear deformities as flop ears and cauliflower ears.
palatoplasty repair of a cleft palate.
pancreatectomy removal of the pancreas.
pentothal an intravenous anesthetic agent.
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
X-ray imaging of the coronary arteries with the aid of catheterization and a contrast medium or dye.
perfusion the injection and permeation of a fluid into a body part.
perineoplasty after childbirth, the repair of torn tissue between the vagina and the rectum.
phantom limb pain after an amputation, sensation or perceived pain from the limb that was severed, a poorly understood psychological phenomenon.
phlebectomy the removal of a vein.
pneumonectomy removal of a lung.
postoperative after surgery.
procaine a local anesthetic agent.
prolapsed referring to an organ that has fallen out of its normal position.
prostatectomy removal of the prostate gland.
purse-string operation the closing of the cervix with a purse-string suture in order to prevent premature childbirth or miscarriage.
radial keratotomy surgery originating in the Soviet Union and involving several incisions made in the cornea of the eye to cure nearsightedness.
radio frequency face-lift a nonsurgical face-lift that uses high-powered radio waves to diminish wrinkles and sags by contracting and tightening the skin.
radiosurgery use of radiation in surgical treatment.
rejection reaction the body's attack on foreign substances, including organs or tissues donated from another person, which can often be counteracted by special drugs.
rhinoplasty plastic surgery to improve the appearance of the nose.
rhytidectomy plastic surgery to remove skin wrinkles.
salpingectomy removal of a fallopian tube.
salpingoplasty opening a closed passage in a fallopian tube to cure sterility.
septectomy surgery to correct a deviated septum in the nose.
shunt a bypass.
sigmoidectomy removal of the sigmoid portion of the large intestine.
somatic cell nuclear transfer the method of creating a cloned embryo by inserting the nucleus of a cell into a hollowed-out egg and treating it with chemicalsto initiate embryonic cell division. The clone contains the cell donor's genes and a small amount of DNA from the egg.
splenectomy removal of a spleen.
staphylorrhaphy repair of a cleft palate.
sternal puncture taking by needle a marrow sample from the breastbone to test for blood disease.
sternotomy cutting the sternum apart in order to gain access to the heart.
suture to stitch or sew up a wound. Also, the thread used for this purpose.
suture, button suturing technique in which the ends of the thread are passed through buttons and tied off.
suture, catgut suture material made from sheep intestine; it is gradually absorbed by the body.
suture, cobbler a suture with a needle attached to each end.
suture, continuous a suture having only two ties, at the beginning and end of a wound.
suture, interrupted a suture having several ties and separate strands.
suture, inverting a suture that turns in tissue on all sides of a wound.
suture, purse-string a continuous, inverting suture forming a circle.
tamponade stopping blood flow by inserting a cotton sponge in a wound.
tapping the removal of body fluids with a needle.
temporal-cortical bypass an artery bypass applied to the surface of the brain to help restore blood flow.
therapeutic cloning the cloning of human embryos from which may be harvested stem cells. The stem cells can be cultured into cell colonies for use in the creation of various tissues for transplants.
thoracoscopy an examination of the chest cavity by a special instrument.
thyroidectomy removal of the thyroid gland.
tissue engineering the creation of living tissue in the laboratory. Skin and organ cells can be grown by various means, but full organ growth is still in the experimental stage. On the experimental front, liver and kidney cells are grown and "assembled" with microscopic tubes made of a biocompatible polymer that serves a circulatory system.
tissue typing the matching of compatible tissue or organs in transplant operations to help prevent rejection reaction.
trachelectomy removal of the cervix and the neck of the uterus.
tracheotomy an emergency incision into the trachea to open up the airways and relieve suffocation.
transfusion the infusing of donor blood into a patient's vein.
trans-sex surgery removal or altering of the sexual organs as an aid in changing one's sex from male to female, or vice versa.
trepanning boring a hole through the skull.
tubal ligation surgically closing the fallopian tube to prevent pregnancy.
ureteroscopic ultrasonic lithotripsy disintegration of stones in the ureter by means of sound waves.
vaginoplasty repair of a torn vagina after childbirth.
vasectomy sterilization technique involving the cutting of the vas deferens, the tube through which sperm is transported.