Medical terminology

1Why the words matter

Medical words can look like a foreign language on your first day. They are really a code with rules. Most of them are built from Greek and Latin parts, and once you know the parts, you can work out words you have never seen before.

In the OR, the words carry information the team acts on. The ending of a procedure's name tells you what kind of procedure it is, and that helps the team prepare the right instruments and equipment. You read the surgeon's preference card, the case schedule and the patient's chart, and you label every medication on the back table.

Abbreviations save time, but a misread one can hurt a patient. Every chart entry has to use the right terms and abbreviations so the next person reads it the way the writer meant it. Error-prone abbreviations should stay off preference cards and medication labels.

With patients, the rule flips. Talk to them in plain language and leave the medical words out.

This chapter teaches the words. Other chapters teach what the words name: body planes, directions and cavities as anatomy in chapter 2; each body system in chapters 3 to 9; drug names, doses and the medication label in chapter 12; charting and legal documentation in chapter 15; instrument names and eponyms in chapter 24; the preference card and the chart review before a case in chapter 28; and each procedure in full in chapters 32 to 42.

2The parts of a medical word

Most medical words are built from three kinds of parts.

• Word root: the core of the word. It usually names the body part or body system the word is about. In hepatitishepatitishep-uh-TY-tisInflammation of the liver, most often caused by a virus.hepat/o liver-itis inflammationFull entry Close, the root hepat means liver. Some words have more than one root.
• Prefix: a part at the start of the word that adds to the root's meaning, the way an adjective adds to a noun. A prefix often tells number, position, direction, time or "not." In subhepatic, the prefix sub- means below.
• Suffix: a part at the end of the word. It usually tells you the procedure, the condition or the disease. In hepatitis, the suffix -itis means inflammation.

Two more terms describe how the parts join.

• Combining vowel: a vowel added to make the word easier to say. It joins a root to a suffix, or one root to another. It is usually o.
• Combining form: a word root plus its combining vowel, written with a slash, such as hepat/ohepat/oHEP-uh-tohA word root that means liver.Full entry Close. The vowel is usually o, but a few roots take another one, such as chol/echol/eKOH-leeA word root that means bile or gall.Full entry Close (bilebilebileA yellow-green fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.chol/e bileFull entry Close) and pelv/ipelv/iPEL-veeA word part that means the pelvis, the ring of bones at the base of the spine.Full entry Close (pelvis).

A prefix is written with a hyphen after it (sub-) and a suffix with a hyphen before it (-itis). Here is an easy way to remember their order: prefix, root and suffix are in alphabetical order, and that is the order they appear in a word.

Not every word has all three parts. A word can be a root alone, two roots, a root and a suffix, or a prefix and a root, and some words join three roots together.

Words you cannot build

Some medical terms are not made from Greek and Latin parts, so you learn them as whole words.

• Eponyms are named after a person, such as Parkinson diseaseParkinson diseasePAR-kin-sun dih-ZEEZA slowly worsening brain disease in which the nerve cells that help control movement die off.Full entry Close, first described by a physician named James Parkinson. Many instruments are named after the surgeon who invented them; chapter 24 covers those.
• Acronyms are abbreviations made from the first letters of several words and said as one word, such as AIDSAIDSAYDZAcquired immunodeficiency syndrome: the most advanced stage of HIV infection, when the immune system is badly damaged.Full entry Close, for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
• Modern-language terms are made from everyday English, such as post-traumatic stress disorderpost-traumatic stress disorderpohst-truh-MAT-ik STRES dis-OR-derA mental health condition that develops after a person lives through or sees a terrifying event.Full entry Close.

3Reading a word: start at the end

To work out a word that is built from parts, follow three steps.

1. Divide the word into its parts. Put a slash between the parts and on each side of a combining vowel.
2. Define each part.
3. Build the meaning. Start with the suffix, then go back to the front of the word and add the other parts in order.

Osteoarthropathy divides into oste/o/arthr/o/pathy. Oste means bone, arthr means joint and -pathy means disease. Start with the suffix and you get "disease of the bone and joint."

Intravenous divides into intra/ven/ous. Intra- means within, ven means vein and -ous means pertaining to, so the word means "pertaining to within a vein." With practice you shorten that to "within the vein."

Pericarditispericarditispair-ih-kar-DY-tisInflammation of the pericardium, the thin sac that surrounds the heart.peri- aroundcardi/o heart-itis inflammationFull entry Close is peri- (around) + card (heart) + -itis (inflammation): inflammation around the heart, of the sac that holds it. Tonsillitistonsillitiston-sih-LY-tisInflammation of the tonsils, the two lumps of lymph tissue at the back of the throat.tonsill/o tonsil-itis inflammationFull entry Close is inflammation of the tonsilstonsilTON-sulOne of the masses of lymph tissue at the back of the throat that help fight germs entering the mouth and nose.Full entry Close.

Every language has exceptions to its rules, and medical words do too. Some words look as if they are built from parts but cannot be translated part by part, and those you learn by heart.

4Rules for combining word parts

The combining vowel follows four rules.

1. Root + a suffix that starts with a consonant: keep the vowel. arthr + -pathy = arthropathy, disease of a joint.
2. Root + a suffix that starts with a vowel: usually drop it. hepat + -ic = hepatichepatichih-PAT-ikRelating to the liver.hepat/o liver-ic relating toFull entry Close. Hemigastrectomy, removal of half the stomach, drops the o of gastr/ogastr/oGAS-trohA word part that means stomach.Full entry Close before -ectomy.
3. Root + root: keep the vowel, even when the next root starts with a vowel. oste + arthr + -itis = osteoarthritisosteoarthritisos-tee-oh-ar-THRY-tisA long-term joint disease in which the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears away.oste/o bonearthr/o joint-itis inflammationFull entry Close.
4. Prefix + root: never add one. sub- + hepat + -ic = subhepatic.

Some words change, drop or add letters so they are easier to spell and say. Herniorrhaphy, the surgical repair of a herniaherniaHER-nee-uhA bulge of an organ or tissue through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue wall that normally holds it in.Full entry Close, adds an o between herni and -rrhaphy. Proctitis, inflammation of the rectum, drops the o of proct/oproct/oPROK-tohA word root that means anus and rectum; rect/o means rectum.Full entry Close. Not every medical word has a combining vowel at all.

Many suffixes mean "pertaining to": -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ior and -ous. So cardiac means pertaining to the heart, dermaldermisDER-misThe thick layer of skin under the epidermis that holds blood vessels, nerves, hair roots and glands.derm/o skinFull entry Close pertaining to the skin and pulmonary pertaining to the lungs.

Compound words

A compound word holds two or more word roots. The order of the roots comes from common use, so you learn the usual order as you meet each word.

• Cholecystectomycholecystectomykoh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the gallbladder.chol/e bilecyst/o sac, bladder-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close: chol/echol/eKOH-leeA word root that means bile or gall.Full entry Close (bilebilebileA yellow-green fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.chol/e bileFull entry Close) + cyst (bladder, sac) + -ectomy (surgical removal). It means removal of the gallbladder.
• Electrocardiogramelectrocardiogramih-lek-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gramA test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.electr/o electricitycardi/o heart-gram recordFull entry Close: electr/o (electricity) + cardi/o (heart) + -gram (record). It is a record of the heart's electrical activity.
• Cardiothoracic: cardi/o (heart) + thorac (chest) + -ic. A cardiothoracic surgeon operates on the heart, its major vessels and the lungs.
• Septorhinoplasty: sept/o (dividing wall) + rhin/o (nose) + -plasty (surgical repair). It is a repair of the nose.

Some compound words are written with a hyphen. Salpingo-oophorectomy is salping/osalping/osal-PING-gohA word root that means tube, most often the fallopian (uterine) tube.Full entry Close (fallopian tubefallopian tubefuh-LOH-pee-un TOOBOne of the two tubes that carry an egg from the ovary to the uterus, where fertilization usually happens.Full entry Close) + oophor (ovary) + -ectomy: surgical removal of a fallopian tube and its ovary.

5Saying the word

Dictionaries show how to say a word by respelling it with marks.

• A line over a vowel (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) means a long sound: the ō in "go."
• A small curve over a vowel (ă, ĕ, ĭ, ŏ, ŭ) means a short sound: the ŏ in "mop."
• Capital letters mark the syllable you stress. Debridedebridementdih-BREED-muntThe removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue from a wound so it can heal.Full entry Close is said di-BRĒD.

Some letters do not sound the way they look. The respellings show it.

• pn at the start of a word sounds like n: pneumoniapneumonianoo-MOHN-yuhAn infection of one or both lungs in which the air sacs fill with fluid or pus.pneum/o lung, air-ia conditionFull entry Close is nū-MŌ-nē-ă.
• ps at the start of a word sounds like s: psoriasispsoriasissuh-RY-uh-sisA long-term immune-related skin disease in which skin cells grow too fast and pile up on the surface.psor/o itch-iasis conditionFull entry Close is sō-RĪ-ə-sĭs.
• pt at the start of a word sounds like t: ptosis is TŌ-sĭs.
• x at the start sounds like z: xeroderma is zē-rō-DUR-mă.
• ch often sounds like k: cholecystectomycholecystectomykoh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the gallbladder.chol/e bilecyst/o sac, bladder-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close is kō-lĕ-sis-TEK-tŏ-mē.
• ph sounds like f: pharyngitispharyngitisfair-in-JY-tisInflammation of the pharynx, the throat behind the mouth and nose.pharyng/o throat-itis inflammationFull entry Close is fă-RĬN-JĪ-tĭs.
• rh sounds like r: rhinitisrhinitisry-NY-tisInflammation of the lining of the nose.rhin/o nose-itis inflammationFull entry Close is rye-NYE-tis.
• c before y sounds like s: cyanosiscyanosissy-uh-NOH-sisA blue or gray color of the skin, lips or nail beds.cyan/o blue-osis abnormal conditionFull entry Close is sī-ă-NŌ-sĭs, and cystoscopy is sĭs-TŎS-kŏ-pē.
• g before i often sounds like j: gingivitisgingivitisjin-jih-VY-tisInflammation of the gums.gingiv/o gums-itis inflammationFull entry Close is jin-jĭ-VĪT-ĭs.

Listen for the stress. In laparoscopylaparoscopylap-uh-ROS-kuh-peeSurgery or an exam done through small cuts in the belly, using a thin, lighted tube with a camera.lapar/o abdomen-scopy looking with an instrumentFull entry Close (lăp-ă-RŎS-kŏ-pē) and laparotomylaparotomylap-uh-ROT-uh-meeSurgery that opens the abdomen through a large cut to reach the organs inside.lapar/o abdomen-tomy cutting intoFull entry Close (lap-uh-ROT-uh-mee), it falls on the syllable that holds the o just before the suffix. Words that end in -ectomy stress the "EK": appendectomyappendectomyap-en-DEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the appendix.append appendix-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close is ap-ĕn-DEK-tŏ-mē.

When you meet a new word, say it out loud. If you are not sure how it sounds, look up its respelling in a medical dictionary before you say it at the field.

6Writing and spelling

In medical words, one letter can change the body part or the procedure.

• IleumileumIL-ee-umThe last and longest part of the small intestine, which joins the large intestine.Full entry Close and iliumiliumIL-ee-umThe large, wing-shaped upper part of each hip bone.Full entry Close sound the same. The ileum is the end of the small intestine; the ilium is the upper part of the hip bone.
• -ectomy, -otomy and -ostomyostomyOS-tuh-meeA surgically made opening from an inside organ, such as the bowel or urinary tract, through the belly wall to the outside.-ostomy surgical openingFull entry Close look alike. They mean removal, cutting into and making an opening. A colectomycolectomykoh-LEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove all or part of the colon.col/o colon-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close removes part of the colon; a colostomycolostomykuh-LOS-tuh-meeA surgical opening that brings part of the colon through the belly wall, so stool leaves the body into a pouch.col/o colon-stomy surgical openingFull entry Close brings the colon out through the abdominal wall.
• -phagia means eating or swallowing, and -phasia means speech.
• Hyper- means above or excessive, and hypo- means below or deficient. Hyperglycemiahyperglycemiahy-per-gly-SEE-mee-uhA blood glucose level above normal, over 100 mg/dL when fasting.hyper- aboveglyc/o sugar-emia in the bloodFull entry Close is high blood sugar; hypoglycemiahypoglycemiahy-poh-gly-SEE-mee-uhA blood glucose level below normal, under 70 mg/dL.hypo- belowglyc/o sugar, glucose-emia in the bloodFull entry Close is low blood sugar.
• The double-r endings all start with rrh: -rrhage and -rrhagia (excessive flow), -rrhaphy (suturing), -rrhea (flow, discharge) and -rrhexis (rupture).

Drug names that look or sound alike cause errors too. Each facility keeps its own list of look-alike, sound-alike drugs, and labels may print part of a name in capital letters to show where two names differ, called tall man letteringtall man letteringtawl man LET-er-ingWriting parts of look-alike drug names in capital letters so the difference between them stands out.Full entry Close. Chapter 12 covers drug names.

7Plural forms

Many medical words come from Greek and Latin, and many keep a Greek or Latin plural: they change the ending instead of adding -s.

Some words also take an English -s: appendixes, apexes and myomas are correct too. Phalanges is the plural only for the bones of the fingers and toes; phalanxes is used for other meanings.

You will hear plurals at the field. Stones in a specimen cup are calculi, and the two main airways off the tracheatracheaTRAY-kee-uhThe windpipe: the tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs.Full entry Close are the bronchi.

8Prefixes

A prefix changes the meaning of the root it sits in front of. Peri- means around, so pericardialpericardiumpair-ih-KAR-dee-umThe thin, two-layered sac that surrounds the heart.peri- aroundcardi/o heart-um a structureFull entry Close means around the heart and perioperativeperioperativepair-ee-OP-er-uh-tivRelating to the whole time around a surgery: before, during and after it.peri- aroundoperative relating to surgeryFull entry Close takes in the whole surgical process: before, during and after the operation. The same prefix names the periosteal elevator, an instrument that lifts tissue from around a bone.

These are the prefixes the Core Curriculum asks you to know, grouped by meaning.

Position and direction

Size, amount and sides

Time and speed

Not, against, good and bad

Put them to work. Bilateral means both sides, dysuriadysuriadis-YOOR-ee-uhPain, burning or discomfort when passing urine.dys- painful, difficultur/o urine-ia conditionFull entry Close is painful urination, tachycardiatachycardiatak-ih-KAR-dee-uhA heart rate faster than normal; in an adult, more than 100 beats per minute.tachy- fastcardi/o heart-ia conditionFull entry Close is a fast heart rate and hypertension is high blood pressure. Subclavian means under the clavicleclavicleKLAV-ih-kulThe long, slightly S-shaped bone that runs from the top of the breastbone to the shoulder; the collarbone.clavicul/o collarboneFull entry Close, suprapubic above the pubispubisPYOO-bisThe front part of each hip bone, low in the pelvis; the two meet in the middle at the pubic symphysis.pub/o pubisFull entry Close, intraoperativeintraoperativein-truh-OP-er-uh-tivHappening during surgery, from when the client is brought into the operating room until they are moved to recovery.intra- within, duringoperative of surgeryFull entry Close during the operation and transurethral through the urethraurethrayoo-REE-thruhThe tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.Full entry Close.

9Suffixes

The suffix is where you start reading, because it tells you whether the word names a procedure, a condition or a disease. For example, -scopy (looking inside) names a procedure, -itis (inflammation) a condition and -oma (tumor) a disease.

Surgical suffixes

These endings name what the surgeon does.

Some lists write these two as -tomy and -stomy, others as -otomy and -ostomy, with the combining vowel in front. They are the same suffixes.

An -ostomy can open an organ to the outside, as a colostomy does. It can also join two hollow organs inside the body. That surgical connection is an anastomosisanastomosisuh-nas-tuh-MOH-sisA connection between two tube-shaped structures, such as two ends of bowel or two blood vessels, made by surgery or found naturally.Full entry Close: a gastroduodenostomy joins the stomach to the duodenumduodenumdoo-uh-DEE-numThe first, short part of the small intestine, just after the stomach.Full entry Close.

Suffixes for records and images

An electrocardiogramelectrocardiogramih-lek-troh-KAR-dee-oh-gramA test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.electr/o electricitycardi/o heart-gram recordFull entry Close is the record of the heart's electrical activity. During a cholecystectomycholecystectomykoh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the gallbladder.chol/e bilecyst/o sac, bladder-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close, the surgeon may take a cholangiogram, an X-ray image of the bile ductsbile ductbyle duktOne of the tubes that carry bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine.Full entry Close made with contrastcontrastKON-trastA dye or other substance given before an imaging test so body parts show up more clearly.Full entry Close, to look for a blockage.

Suffixes for conditions and diseases

Myalgiamyalgiamy-AL-juhMuscle pain or aching.my/o muscle-algia painFull entry Close is muscle pain, appendicitisappendicitisuh-pen-dih-SY-tisInflammation of the appendix, the small pouch that hangs from the start of the large intestine.append/o appendix-itis inflammationFull entry Close is inflammation of the appendix and cholelithiasischolelithiasiskoh-lee-lih-THY-uh-sisStones in the gallbladder.chol/e bilelith/o stone-iasis conditionFull entry Close is the formation of gallstones. Hemostasishemostasishee-moh-STAY-sisThe stopping of bleeding, either by the body's own clotting process or by medical or surgical methods.hem/o blood-stasis stopping, standing stillFull entry Close is hem/ohem/oHEE-mohA word part that means blood.Full entry Close (blood) + -stasis (stopping): stopping the flow of blood.

Endings that make nouns and adjectives

A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in heart disease, and cardiology is the study of the heart.

10Combining forms for position, number and color

Position and direction

These forms build the direction words of anatomy: anterior (toward the front) and posterior (toward the back), superior (above) and inferior (below), medial (toward the middle) and lateral (toward the side), proximalproximalPROK-sih-mulNearer the center of the body, or nearer the place where a part is attached.Full entry Close (nearer the trunk) and distal (farther from it). Chapter 2 teaches them on the body, with the planes and cavities.

Amount and number

Color

Cyanosiscyanosissy-uh-NOH-sisA blue or gray color of the skin, lips or nail beds.cyan/o blue-osis abnormal conditionFull entry Close is a bluish color of the skin from poor circulation or too little oxygen in the blood, and erythemaerythemaair-ih-THEE-muhRedness of the skin caused by more blood flowing in the small vessels near the surface.erythr/o red-ema conditionFull entry Close is redness of the skin. A leukocyte is a white blood cell.

11Word roots by body system

Each body system has its own set of roots. Chapters 3 to 9 teach what each part is and does; here you learn the word parts that name them. The tables follow the Core Curriculum's lists, system by system, and a few examples after each table show the roots at work. Some roots appear in more than one system, because the Core Curriculum lists them wherever they are used.

Skin (integumentary system)

Xeroderma is very dry skin, cyanosiscyanosissy-uh-NOH-sisA blue or gray color of the skin, lips or nail beds.cyan/o blue-osis abnormal conditionFull entry Close a bluish skin color, and diaphoresis heavy sweating.

Bones, joints and muscles (musculoskeletal system)

Arthroscopy is looking inside a joint, arthrodesis is surgical fusion of a joint, and osteotomy is cutting into a bone.

Nerves and brain (nervous system)

A craniotomycraniotomykray-nee-OT-uh-meeSurgery in which a piece of the skull is removed to reach the brain, and usually put back at the end.crani/o skull-tomy cutting intoFull entry Close is an incision into the skull, encephalitisencephalitisen-sef-uh-LY-tisInflammation of the brain tissue.encephal/o brain-itis inflammationFull entry Close is inflammation of the brain, and a meningioma is a tumor of the meninges.

The eye

Ptosis, spelled like the suffix -ptosis, is a drooping upper eyelid. Mydriasis is a widened pupil, and glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, often from high pressure inside the eye.

The ear

A myringotomy is a small incision in the eardrum, and a tympanoplasty is surgical repair of the eardrum. Otitis mediaotitis mediaoh-TY-tis MEE-dee-uhInflammation or infection of the middle ear, the space behind the eardrum.ot/o ear-itis inflammationmedia middleFull entry Close is inflammation of the middle ear.

Blood

A leukocyte is a white blood cell, thrombosisthrombosisthrom-BOH-sisThe forming of a blood clot (a thrombus) inside a blood vessel or the heart.thromb/o clot-osis conditionFull entry Close is a blood clot forming inside a vessel, and hemolysishemolysishee-MOL-ih-sisThe breaking apart of red blood cells, which releases hemoglobin into the blood.hem/o blood-lysis breaking downFull entry Close is the breakdown of red blood cells.

Heart and vessels (cardiovascular system)

An angiogramangiographyan-jee-OG-ruh-feeAn imaging test that shows blood vessels by injecting a contrast dye and taking x-ray, CT or MRI pictures.angi/o vessel-graphy process of recordingFull entry Close is an image of the inside of blood vessels made with contrastcontrastKON-trastA dye or other substance given before an imaging test so body parts show up more clearly.Full entry Close. Bradycardiabradycardiabray-dee-KAR-dee-uhA heart rate slower than normal; in an adult, fewer than 60 beats per minute.brady- slowcardi/o heart-ia conditionFull entry Close is a slow heart rate: brady- (slow) + card (heart) + -ia (condition).

Lymphatic system

A splenectomy is surgical removal of the spleen, and lymphadenopathylymphadenopathylim-fad-uh-NOP-uh-theeSwollen or enlarged lymph nodes.lymph/o lymphaden/o gland-pathy diseaseFull entry Close is disease of a lymph node, such as a node swollen by infection.

Lungs and airway (respiratory system)

A tracheostomytracheostomytray-kee-OS-tuh-meeA surgical opening through the front of the neck into the windpipe, usually holding a tube that the person breathes through.trache/o windpipe-stomy surgical openingFull entry Close is a new opening into the trachea, a thoracotomythoracotomythor-uh-KOT-uh-meeA surgical cut through the chest wall to reach the lungs, heart or other organs in the chest.thorac/o chest-tomy cutting intoFull entry Close is an incision into the chest, and pneumoniapneumonianoo-MOHN-yuhAn infection of one or both lungs in which the air sacs fill with fluid or pus.pneum/o lung, air-ia conditionFull entry Close is an infection that inflames the air sacs of the lungs.

Digestive system

Hepatitishepatitishep-uh-TY-tisInflammation of the liver, most often caused by a virus.hepat/o liver-itis inflammationFull entry Close is inflammation of the liver, a colectomycolectomykoh-LEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove all or part of the colon.col/o colon-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close removes part of the large intestine, and an ileostomyileostomyil-ee-OS-tuh-meeA surgical opening that brings the end of the ileum through the belly wall, so stool leaves the body there.ile/o ileum-stomy surgical openingFull entry Close makes a new opening to the ileum.

Urinary system (genitourinary)

Cystoscopy (cyst/o + -scopy) is looking inside the bladder and urethra with a cystoscope, and nephrolithiasisnephrolithiasisnef-roh-lih-THY-uh-sisThe forming of stones in the kidney.nephr/o kidneylith stone-iasis conditionFull entry Close is stones in the kidney.

Female reproductive system

A hysterectomyhysterectomyhis-tuh-REK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the uterus.hyster/o uterus-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close (hyster/o + -ectomy) removes the uterus, an oophorectomy removes one or both ovaries, and a mastectomymastectomyma-STEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove all or part of a breast.mast/o breast-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close removes a breast.

Male reproductive system

An orchiectomy removes one or both testicles, and prostatitisprostatitispros-tuh-TY-tisInflammation of the prostate gland.prostat/o prostate-itis inflammationFull entry Close is inflammation of the prostate gland.

Glands (endocrine system)

A parathyroidectomy removes the parathyroid glands, and hyperglycemiahyperglycemiahy-per-gly-SEE-mee-uhA blood glucose level above normal, over 100 mg/dL when fasting.hyper- aboveglyc/o sugar-emia in the bloodFull entry Close is too much sugar in the blood.

12Taking a procedure name apart

Every case on the schedule has a name, and many names are built from the parts in this chapter. Take each name apart before you open the case: the suffix tells you what the surgeon will do, and the roots tell you where. Each card below opens that setup.

Laparoscopiclaparoscopiclap-uh-roh-SKOP-ikDone through a few small cuts in the abdomen with a thin camera and long instruments, instead of one large opening.lapar/o abdomen-scopic viewingFull entry Close cholecystectomycholecystectomykoh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the gallbladder.chol/e bilecyst/o sac, bladder-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close. Laparoscopic is lapar/olapar/oLAP-uh-rohA word root that means abdomen or abdominal wall.Full entry Close (abdomen) + -scopic (pertaining to looking inside): the work is done through a scope in the abdomen. Cholecystectomy is chol/echol/eKOH-leeA word root that means bile or gall.Full entry Close (bilebilebileA yellow-green fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.chol/e bileFull entry Close) + cyst (sac) + -ectomy: removal of the gallbladder. The diagnosis is often cholecystitischolecystitiskoh-luh-sis-TY-tisInflammation of the gallbladder.chol/e bilecyst/o sac, bladder-itis inflammationFull entry Close, inflammation of the gallbladder, or cholelithiasischolelithiasiskoh-lee-lih-THY-uh-sisStones in the gallbladder.chol/e bilelith/o stone-iasis conditionFull entry Close, gallstones.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy23 instruments · 6 photos

Appendectomyappendectomyap-en-DEK-tuh-meeSurgery to remove the appendix.append appendix-ectomy surgical removalFull entry Close. append/o (appendixappendixuh-PEN-diksA small, finger-shaped pouch attached to the first part of the large intestine, in the lower right abdomen.Full entry Close) + -ectomy: removal of the appendix. The disease uses the other form of the root: appendic/o + -itis = appendicitisappendicitisuh-pen-dih-SY-tisInflammation of the appendix, the small pouch that hangs from the start of the large intestine.append/o appendix-itis inflammationFull entry Close.

Appendectomy26 instruments · 1 photo

Exploratory laparotomylaparotomylap-uh-ROT-uh-meeSurgery that opens the abdomen through a large cut to reach the organs inside.lapar/o abdomen-tomy cutting intoFull entry Close. lapar/o (abdomen) + -tomy (incision): a large incision into the abdomen to reach its organs. It is called exploratory when it is done to look inside because less invasive tests have not found the diagnosis.

Exploratory Laparotomy32 instruments · 1 photo

Colostomycolostomykuh-LOS-tuh-meeA surgical opening that brings part of the colon through the belly wall, so stool leaves the body into a pouch.col/o colon-stomy surgical openingFull entry Close. col/ocol/oKOH-lohA word root that means colon, the large intestine.Full entry Close (colon) + -stomy (opening): one end of the large intestine is brought out through the abdominal wall so stool can leave the body.

Colostomy22 instruments · 5 photos

Gastrostomy. gastr/ogastr/oGAS-trohA word part that means stomach.Full entry Close (stomach) + -stomy: an opening through the stomach wall to the outside of the body. When it is done with a scope it is a percutaneous endoscopicendoscopicen-doh-SKOP-ikDone with an endoscope, a thin tube with a light and camera passed into the body.endo- within-scopic viewingFull entry Close gastrostomy (PEGPEGPEG, or pee-ee-JEE (said as letters)An abbreviation that can mean a feeding tube placed through the belly into the stomach, or the laxative polyethylene glycol.Full entry Close), and percutaneous is per- (through) + cutane (skin) + -ous.

Rhinoplasty. rhin/o (nose) + -plasty (surgical repair): reshaping the nose to improve how it works, how it looks, or both.

Orchiopexy. orchi/oorch/oOR-kohA word root that means testis; orchi/o, orchid/o and test/o mean the same.Full entry Close (testis) + -pexy (surgical fixation): bringing down a testis that has not descended into the scrotumscrotumSKROH-tumThe pouch of skin and muscle that holds the testicles.Full entry Close and fixing it in place. The condition is cryptorchidismcryptorchidismkrip-TOR-kih-diz-umA condition in which one or both testicles have not moved down into the scrotum.crypt/o hiddenorch/o testis-ism conditionFull entry Close: crypt- (hidden) + orchid (testis) + -ism.

Bronchoscopybronchoscopybrong-KOS-kuh-peeA procedure in which a thin, lighted tube with a camera is passed through the nose or mouth to look inside the airways.bronch/o airway (bronchus)-scopy looking with an instrumentFull entry Close. bronch/obronch/oBRONG-kohA word root that means the bronchi, the large airways of the lungs.Full entry Close (bronchusbronchusBRONG-kusOne of the large air tubes that branch from the windpipe into each lung.bronch/o airwayFull entry Close) + -scopy (looking inside): examining the airway through a thin viewing instrument, the bronchoscope.

Bilateral myringotomy with tubes (BMTBMTbee-em-tee (said as letters)Bone marrow transplant: replacing damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy blood-forming stem cells.Full entry Close). Bilateral is bi- (two) + later (side) + -al: on both sides. Myringotomy is myring/omyring/omih-RING-gohA word root that means the eardrum (tympanic membrane).Full entry Close (eardrumtympanic membranetim-PAN-ik MEM-braynThe thin, cone-shaped sheet of tissue between the outer ear canal and the middle ear; the eardrum.Full entry Close) + -tomy: a small incision in the eardrum to drain fluid or relieve pressure. A small tube is placed in each incision so the middle ear keeps draining.

Total hip arthroplastytotal hip replacementTOH-tul HIP rih-PLAYS-mentSurgery that replaces the worn or damaged ball and socket of the hip joint with artificial parts; also called total hip arthroplasty.Full entry Close. arthr/o (joint) + -plasty (surgical repair). Also called a total hip replacement, it replaces the head of the femur and the acetabulum, the hip socket, with replacement parts.

Transurethral resection of the prostatetransurethral resection of the prostatetrans-yoo-REE-thrul rih-SEK-shun of the PROS-taytSurgery that removes part of the prostate gland with an instrument passed up through the urethra.trans- throughurethr/o urethra-al relating toresection cutting outFull entry Close (TURP). Transurethral is trans- (through) + urethr (urethraurethrayoo-REE-thruhThe tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.Full entry Close) + -al: through the urethra. In a TURP, part of the prostate glandprostatePROS-taytA walnut-sized gland below the bladder in males that surrounds the urethra and makes part of the fluid in semen.Full entry Close is removed with a scope passed through the urethra.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A). tonsill + -ectomy removes the tonsilstonsilTON-sulOne of the masses of lymph tissue at the back of the throat that help fight germs entering the mouth and nose.Full entry Close; adenoid + -ectomy removes the adenoid, which sits behind the nasal cavity. The two are often done together.

Salpingo-oophorectomy. salping/osalping/osal-PING-gohA word root that means tube, most often the fallopian (uterine) tube.Full entry Close (fallopian tubefallopian tubefuh-LOH-pee-un TOOBOne of the two tubes that carry an egg from the ovary to the uterus, where fertilization usually happens.Full entry Close) + oophor (ovary) + -ectomy: removal of the tube and the ovary. When both sides are done, it is a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO).

Dilationdilationdy-LAY-shunThe widening or opening up of a body part, such as the cervix during labor, the pupils or a blood vessel.dilat widen-ion processFull entry Close and curettage (D&C). Dilation widens the cervix, and curettage scrapes the lining of the uterus with a curettecurettekyoo-RETA surgical instrument with a small spoon- or loop-shaped tip used to scrape tissue.Full entry Close. Together they remove tissue from inside the uterus, often to make a diagnosis.

Two common procedures have no card here but are good practice. Herniorrhaphy (herni/oherni/oHER-nee-ohA word root that means hernia, a bulge of an organ or tissue through a weak spot in the wall around it.Full entry Close, herniaherniaHER-nee-uhA bulge of an organ or tissue through a weak spot in the muscle or tissue wall that normally holds it in.Full entry Close + -rrhaphy, suturing) repairs a hernia. Lithotripsy (lith/olith/oLITH-ohA word root that means stone.Full entry Close, stone + -tripsy, crushing) breaks up stones in the kidney, bladder or uretersureterYOOR-uh-terOne of the two tubes that carry urine from the kidneys down to the bladder.Full entry Close.

13Abbreviations, acronyms and symbols

Abbreviations and symbols save time and fit words into small spaces. They also get misread. A misread abbreviation can cause a harmful error, and tracking down what one meant can delay the patient's care.

An acronym is an abbreviation made from first letters and said as a word, such as AIDSAIDSAYDZAcquired immunodeficiency syndrome: the most advanced stage of HIV infection, when the immune system is badly damaged.Full entry Close. Some abbreviations are said letter by letter instead: NPO is said en-pē-ō.

Use only the abbreviations your facility approves, the ones the whole health care team knows. BID, twice a day, comes from the Latin bis in die, and NPO, nothing by mouth, from the Latin nil per os. Lesser-known or outdated abbreviations can cause misunderstandings and errors.

The same abbreviation may be written with or without periods or a slash, in capitals or small letters: NPO or n.p.o., UA or U/A.

ISMP, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, accepts that some abbreviations will always be used, so whoever uses one has to know it can be misread. An uncommon abbreviation should be spelled out by the writer. When an order uses an error-prone abbreviation, the order is clarified with the prescriber and rewritten without it.

The Core Curriculum lists 97 common abbreviations. They are grouped below by where you will meet them.

Common abbreviations: orders, timing and medications

Common abbreviations: the chart and vital signs

Common abbreviations: directions and body areas

Common abbreviations: procedures and treatments

Common abbreviations: tests and imaging

Common abbreviations: diseases and conditions