Iapyx removing an arrowhead from the thigh of Aeneas using a forceps (Virgil Aeneid XII.383-440) Roman fresco from the Casa di Sirico in Pompeii. National Archaeological Museum, Naples
Many surgical procedure names can be broken into parts to indicate the meaning. For example, in gastrectomy, "ectomy" is a suffix meaning the removal of a part of the body. "Gastro-" means stomach. Thus, gastrectomy refers to the surgical removal of the stomach (or sections thereof). "Otomy" means cutting into a part of the body; a gastrotomy would be cutting into, but not necessarily removing, the stomach. And also "pharyngo" means pharynx, "laryngo" means larynx, "esophag" means esophagus. Thus, "pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy" refers to the surgical removal of the three.
The field of minimally invasive surgery has spawned another set of words, such as arthroscopic or laparoscopic surgery. These take the same form as above; an arthroscope is a device which allows the inside of the joint to be seen.
List of common surgery terms
Prefixes
mono- : one, from the Greek μόνος, monos, "only, single"
angio- : related to a blood vessel, from the Greek αγγήϊον angḗïon, "vessel", "container", "pot"
arthr- : related to a joint, from the Greek άρθρον, árthron, "joint"
bi- : two, from the Latin prefix *bi, meaning "two".
colono- : related to large intestine colon, from the latin cōlon, "clause [of a poem]", itself from the Greek κωλον, cōlon, "clause, member, part"
colpo- : related to the vagina, from the Ancient Greek κόλπος, cólpos, meaning "hollow space", but also a synonym for "womb"
cysto- : related to the bladder, from the Greek κύστις, cústis, "bladder, pouch"
encephal- : related to the brain, from the Ancient Greek εγκέφαλος, enchéphalos itself from εν, en, "in", and κεφαλή, kephalḗ, meaning "head".
gastr- : related to stomach, from the Greek γαστήρ, gastḗr, "stomach"
hepat- : related to the liver, from the latin hēpatītis, from the latin hēpar, Greek loanword, originally ηπαρ, hēpar, meaning "liver"
hyster- : related to the uterus, from Neo-Latin hysteria, itself ultimately from the Greek ύστέρα, hústéra, meaning "womb, uterus"
lamino- : related to the lamina (posterior aspect of vertebra)
Etymology actually refers to soft, fleshy part of abdominal wall. The term celio- is generally considered more accurate and more commonly used in America.[citation needed]
lobo- : related to a lobe (of the brain or lungs), from the latin lobo, ablative declension of lobus, itself from the Greek λοβός, lobós, "lobe", "pea-pod"
mammo- and masto-: related to the breasts, from the latin mammas, "breast", and Greek μάσταζ mástaz, "chewer"
myo- : related to muscle tissue, from the Greek μυς, mús, from μύσκυλος múskulos, "little mouse", so called because the Greeks believed that muscles looked like little mice.
nephro- : related to the kidney from the Greek νεφρόν, nephrón, accusative declension of νεφρός, kidney
oophor- : related to the ovary, from ωοφόρος, oophóros, meaning "egg-bearing"
orchid- : related to the testicles, from the latin orchis, itself from the Greek όρχις, órchis, meaning "testicle" or sometimes "orchid" so called because the Greeks believed orchid roots looked like testicles.
rhino- : related to the nose, from the Greek ρινός rinós, genitive declension of ρίς rís, "nose"
