Incision into the stomach is known as?

• A. Gastrotomy
• B. Gastrotomy
• C. Gastrorrhaphy
• D. Gastrectomy

Answer: (B)

In medical terminology, the suffix -tomy signals an incision or cutting into something. When paired with gastro-, which refers to the stomach, the term gastrotomy means making an incision into the stomach. This distinguishes it from other similar terms: gastrostomy would be creating an opening from the stomach to the outside of the body (often for feeding), gastrorrhaphy is suturing the stomach, and gastrectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of the stomach. So the incision into the stomach is gastrotomy.