Which suffix indicates 'surgically create an opening'?

Study for the Introduction to Medical Terminology Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which suffix indicates 'surgically create an opening'?

Explanation:
Suffixes in surgical terms tell you what procedure is done. The one that means surgically creating an opening is -ostomy. It comes from stoma, an opening, and when a surgeon performs an ostomy, they make a new opening from an internal organ to the outside of the body or into another hollow organ, creating a stoma. Examples include colostomy (opening from the colon to the abdomen) and ileostomy (opening from the ileum). This is different from -otomy, which means to cut into something (like tracheotomy), -plasty, which means to repair or reshape, and -ectomy, which means to remove.

Suffixes in surgical terms tell you what procedure is done. The one that means surgically creating an opening is -ostomy. It comes from stoma, an opening, and when a surgeon performs an ostomy, they make a new opening from an internal organ to the outside of the body or into another hollow organ, creating a stoma. Examples include colostomy (opening from the colon to the abdomen) and ileostomy (opening from the ileum). This is different from -otomy, which means to cut into something (like tracheotomy), -plasty, which means to repair or reshape, and -ectomy, which means to remove.

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