6.6 Surgical Terminology
Overview
Surgery is a branch of study that treats diseases, injuries, and abnormalities of the physical body by manual or operative repair. Many DVMs perform surgeries, and the type of surgeries they perform will vary from doctor to doctor. Most clinics that see animals for wellness exams and are classified as general or regular practices will do surgeries like spays and neuters.
Most surgeries are described by the location of the surgery. For example, a cardiac surgery would involve the heart.
The surgical suite is a closed off room or area within the clinic that follows strict sterile guidelines. Cleaning, prepping, and maintaining sterility is a top priority.
Elective procedures or surgeries: Procedures or surgeries that are common, non-emergency, and can be booked essentially at any time. Examples include spays, neuters, lump removals, and dental extractions.
Emergency procedures or surgeries: Procedures or surgeries that are required to provide urgent care or immediate attention. Examples include fractures, external or internal bleeding, tumours, or blockages.
Preoperative or preop: Describe the time period before the surgery. This could include an exam, preparation of medications or sedatives, equipment preparation, or blood work.
Postoperative or postop: Describe the time period after the surgery. This could include setting up a room for the animal to go into after the procedure, medication preparation, vital and health examinations, and other procedures that the animal requires that need to occur after the procedure, such as bandages.
Advanced Animal Care. (2018, December 18). Dog surgery [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/H-VEggUfhSs
Introductory Terms within Surgery
Incision: A surgical cut made in the skin; the action of cutting
Aseptic technique: Procedures and methods to prevent contamination of surgery tools by microorganisms, thus reducing the risk of introducing infection during surgery
Debridement: The removal of foreign material and dead tissue from a wound
Dehiscence: The reopening of an incision or wound
Dissect: To cut apart or separate
Enucleation: The removal of the eye
Eviscerate: The opening of the body, causing exposure of the internal organs
Ligate: To tie shut, generally with suture
Example
After a severe injury to the eye, like in Figure 5.16, an enucleation would occur.
Excise: To remove surgically
Fracture: A break or breaking apart, usually describing a bone
Laceration: Cut or tear into the skin
Rupture: Forcible tear; to break open
Suture: To close or stitch an incision; also refers to the material used to close the area
Surgical Equipment Terms
Prepping for surgery is an important step in the surgical process. Every surgery has specific items to prep. Most items are sterilized through an autoclave prior to surgery. In general, most surgeries have a surgical pack such as a spay pack, drapes, suture and scalpel. These would be set out prior to the beginning of the surgery. Also, a sterile surgical gown, gloves, and hand towel would be prepared for the doctor.
Examples
Here is an example of a surgical spay pack. Prior to surgery it was autoclaved, making it sterile. It is wrapped in two layers of drapes (green and blue in Figure 5.18) and all the required instruments are packed inside the drapes. Once opened, a sterile scalpel blade and sterile suture material can be added, as requested by the doctor.
Clinical Insight
All linens used in surgery, like drapes and gowns, are called “greens” because most of them are the colour green, but they can come in other colours such as blue. They may be disposable or washable. Disposable greens come in sterilized packaging to open, use once, and discard. Washable greens are cleaned and autoclaved in the clinic.
Other common surgical supplies include the following:
Bandage material: There is a variety of bandage material, such as cling wrap, gauze, and vet wrap. Some surgeries and injuries will require bandaging post-op.
Orthopedic material: Pins, plates, and screws
Stapler: Surgical closures may use staples over suture material
Surgical Cleanliness Terms
Autoclave or steam sterilization: A high-pressure machine that uses stream to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores
Aseptic: Without bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms
Antiseptic: Substance that prevents and kills the growth of microorganisms
Antibacterial: Substance that fights and/or kills bacteria
Antimicrobial: Substance that prevents or kills microorganisms
Disinfect: A process of cleaning using a chemical agent that destroys bacteria
Cold sterile: items immersed in a sterilant solution, such as alcohol based products, for a minimum period of time as determined by the product label
Contamination: the act of or presence of unwanted substances such as pathogens or infectious material on sterile or clean surface, object or space
Cross-contamination: the process or physical movement of substances from one object (person, place or thing) to another
Surgical Acronyms
Sx: Surgery
OR: Operating room
fx: Fracture
ICU: Intensive care unit
IM: Intramuscular
IP: Intraperitoneal
IV: Intravenous
kg: Kilogram
LRS: Lactated ringers (type of fluid)
Exercise
Attribution
Unless otherwise indicated, material on this page has been adapted from the following resource:
Sturdy, L., & Erickson, S. (2022). The language of medical terminology. NorQuest College. https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/medicalterminology/chapter/4-10-common-medical-terms/
References
Advanced Animal Care. (2018, December 18). Dog surgery [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/H-VEggUfhSs
Image Credits (images are listed in order of appearance)
Overhead view of Army Capt. Amy Clark performing veterinary surgery on dog, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (29 Palms), California by US Marine Corps, CC0.
Canine sterilization surgery by fotografyarte, Pixabay licence.
Kitten with severe eye injury by JoelleJay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Fracture by Kelly Robertson, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Spay pack by Kelly Robertson, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Scalpel handle and blade attached by Matea David-Steel, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Bandage material by Matea David-Steel, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Suture Material by Matea David-Steel, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Splint by Kelly Robertson, NorQuest College. Used with permission.
Skin stapler closeup by Steven Fruitsmaak, CC BY 3.0.
Free from living organisms or bacteria
Material used to provide a barrier to protect items such as surgical instruments from contamination
A way of holding together the edges of a surgical incision or wound, usually with stitches, staples, or glue
A surgical knife with a small, sharp, sometimes detachable blade
,_California.jpg){kind=link}
