Glossary
- abduction
-
Movement away from something (the body)
- acellular
-
A type of microorganism that is not composed of cells
- adduction
-
Movement towards something (the body)
- adenoma
-
A benign tumour found in a gland or organ
- amino acids
-
Small molecules essential to all life
- anaerobe
-
An organism that lives without oxygen
- angioplasty
-
The surgical correction of a blood vessel, usually to widen a blocked artery
- antepartum
-
Before birth
- antigen
-
Producing against; a substance that triggers an immune response in the body
- appendectomy
-
Removal of the appendix
- appendicitis
-
Inflammation of the appendix
- arterionecrosis
-
Death of tissue in an artery
- arteriosclerosis
-
Hardening of the arteries
- arthralgia
-
Pain in a joint or joints
- arthritis
-
Inflammation of a joint
- asepsis
-
Not septic; free from bacteria and viruses
- asymptomatic
-
Without symptoms
- atherosclerosis
-
Hardening of the arteries caused by plaque; a type of arteriosclerosis
- autoclave
-
A device that uses steam and pressure to sterilize medical instruments and sometimes other equipment
- bacteriology
-
The study of bacteria
- bilateral
-
Pertaining to both sides
- bronchiectasis
-
Dilation of the bronchial tubes
- bronchitis
-
Inflammation of the bronchi
- cancerous
-
Pertaining to cancer
- capsid
-
Protein-coated outer layer of a virus
- capsomers
-
Subunits of the capsid, the outer covering that protects the genetic material of a virus
- carcinoma
-
A cancerous tumour or mass
- cardiac
-
Pertaining to the heart
- cardiology
-
The study of the heart
- cardiomegaly
-
Enlargement of the heart
- cardiomyopathy
-
A disease condition of the heart muscle
- carpals
-
Pertaining to the wrist; the bones of the wrist
- cataplasia
-
Forming down (in terms of cells or tissues); the degeneration of cells or tissues
- cephalic
-
Pertaining to the head
- cerebrospinal
-
Pertaining to the head and spine
- chitin
-
An aminopolysaccharide polymer
- cholecystectomy
-
Removal of the gallbladder
- cholemesis
-
Vomiting bile
- chondroma
-
A mass or tumour on cartilage
- circumcision
-
Cutting around
- colectomy
-
Removal of all or part of the colon
- colostomy
-
An opening into the colon
- craniotomy
-
An incision into the skull
- cystoscopy
-
Visual examination of the bladder
- cytopenia
-
A decrease in the number of cells
- cytoplasm
-
A gel-like substance enclosed by the cell membrane; contains the organelles
- cytoskeleton
-
A network of protein fibres that maintains or modifies a cell's shape and ensures mechanical resistance to deformation
- dermopathy
-
A disease of the skin
- diarrhea
-
Loose, watery bowel movements
- dislocation
-
Movement away from a location; in this case, the bones of a join pushed out of their normal position
- dysentery
-
A condition of painful intestines; a gastrointestinal disease characterized by bloody diarrhea
- ectopic pregnancy
-
Pertaining to outside its place; in this case, a pregnancy that occurs outside a viable location
- edema
-
Fluid buildup in tissues
- encephalitis
-
Inflammation of the brain
- endoscope
-
An instrument to visually examine within the body; a medical device with an attached light that is used to look inside a body cavity or organ
- enteritis
-
Inflammation of the intestines
- esophageal
-
Pertaining to the esophagus
- excise
-
To cut out
- exocrine
-
Secretion outside, often in reference to endocrine glands that secrete outside the body
- extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy
-
A procedure that uses shock waves to break up kidney stones
- fasciotomy
-
A procedure that involves cutting through the connective tissue that wraps around muscles in order to treat a condition called compartment syndrome
- fibroid
-
A growth composed of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue
- fomites
-
Objects that may carry infections
- gastrotomy
-
An incision into the stomach
- genome
-
The genetic material found within an organism
- germicide
-
A substance that kills germs
- gingivitis
-
Inflammation of the gums
- gynecology
-
The study of women
- hemigastrectomy
-
Removal of half the stomach
- hemoglobin
-
Blood protein
- hemorrhage
-
Excessive discharge of blood
- hepatitis
-
Inflammation of the liver
- herniorrhaphy
-
Surgical repair of a hernia
- hyperglycemia
-
Condition of high sugar; typically high blood sugar or blood glucose
- hypertension
-
High blood pressure
- hypotension
-
Low blood pressure
- hypoxia
-
A condition that prevents oxygen from reaching tissues
- hysterectomy
-
Removal of the uterus
- incision
-
A cut or wound; typically a cut made into the body to perform surgery
- intercostal
-
Within (between) the ribs
- intravenous
-
Pertaining to within the vein
- laparoscopy
-
A visual internal examination of the abdomen
- laparotomy
-
An incision into the abdomen
- laryngitis
-
Inflammation of the voicebox/larynx
- liposuction
-
Suctioning of fat
- lithotripsy
-
Surgical crushing of stone(s)
- meniscectomy
-
Removal of the cartilage pad within the knee joint
- metacarpal
-
Pertaining to beyond the wrist
- morbidity
-
The number of cases of a disease
- mortality
-
The number of deaths caused by a disease
- multicellular
-
Composed of more than one cell
- myorrhaphy
-
A procedure involving the suturing of a muscle
- necrosis
-
Cell death and inflammation
- neonatal
-
Pertaining to new birth
- nephrolithiasis
-
Kidney stones
- nephrology
-
Study of the kidney(s)
- neuralgia
-
Nerve pain
- oophorectomy
-
Removal of the ovary/ovaries
- orchiopexy
-
Surgical fixation of the testes
- osteoarthritis
-
Inflammation of the bones and joints
- osteogenic
-
Origin of bone; relating to bone formation
- osteotome
-
An instrument for cutting bone
- parathyroidectomy
-
Removal beside the thyroid; removal of one or more of the parathyroid glands
- pericardial
-
Pertaining to around the heart
- phlebotomy
-
To make an incision into a vein
- pneumonia
-
A condition of the lung(s)
- postpartum
-
Birth after or after birth
- preoperative
-
Before an operation
- proctology
-
The study of the anus and rectum
- pulmonary
-
Pertaining to the lungs
- renal
-
Pertaining to the kidney(s)
- rhinoplasty
-
Surgical repair of the nose
- rhinorrhea
-
Flow from the nose
- subcutaneous
-
Pertaining to under the skin
- suprapubic
-
Pertaining to above the pelvis
- systemic
-
Affecting the whole body
- thoracic
-
Pertaining to the chest
- tonsillitis
-
Inflammation of the tonsils
- tracheotomy
-
An incision into the trachea
- transurethral
-
Pertaining to through the urethra
- unicellular
-
Composed of only one cell
- verbroplasty
-
The surgical repair of a vertebra
- vertebrectomy
-
Removal of a vertebra
