Dictionary

Surgical

Terms from the operating room and the care of surgical clients.

-ostomyA word ending that means a surgically made opening, usually to the outside of the body.

-otomyA word ending that means cutting into, or a surgical incision.

obturatorA smooth-tipped rod that fits inside a tube, such as a tracheostomy tube or cannula, to guide it in and then is taken out.

occlusiveClosing something off, or sealed so that air and water cannot pass through.

operating roomA room in a hospital or surgery center that is specially set up and kept for performing surgery.

OROperating room, the hospital room where surgery is done; in research articles OR can also mean odds ratio.

ORIFOpen reduction internal fixation: surgery that opens the skin to line up a broken bone and hold it with plates, screws or rods.

orthopedicHaving to do with the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons, and the branch of medicine that treats them.

orthopedic surgerySurgery on the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles.

ostomyA surgically made opening from an inside organ, such as the bowel or urinary tract, through the belly wall to the outside.