What it means
An operation, done in an operating room under some form of anesthesiaan-us-THEE-zhuhLoss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.an- withoutesthesi/o feeling, sensation-ia conditionFull entry . Surgery may be elective (planned), urgent or emergency, and open (through a larger cut) or minimally invasive (through small cuts with a camera or a robot). Care is divided into preoperative, intraoperative and postoperativepohst-OP-er-uh-tivDescribing the time after surgery, from the end of the operation until recovery.post- afteroperat/o operation, surgery-ive having the nature ofFull entry phases. The word also means the operating room or the surgical specialty.
For the nurse
Before surgery, check the consent, NPO status, allergies, labs and the surgical site marking, and remove jewelry, dentures and other items as the facility directs.
At a glance
| Spanish | cirugía |
|---|---|
| Also written | surgeries |
Related terms
postoperative
Describing the time after surgery, from the end of the operation until recovery.
informed consent
A person's agreement to a treatment or procedure, given freely after the risks, benefits and other choices have been explained to them.
anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation, often brought on by drugs so that surgery or a procedure can be done without pain.
surgical
Relating to surgery or done by surgery.
PACU
Post-anesthesia care unit: the area where clients are watched closely as they wake up after surgery.