Medical and Surgical Procedures
Use of subfreezing temperature, commonly with liquid nitrogen, to destroy abnor-
mal tissue cells, such as unwanted, cancerous, or infected tissue
Treatment that involves removal of foreign material and dead or damaged tissue, es-
pecially in a wound, and is used to promote healing and prevent infection
Aims a high intensity ultraviolet B (UVB) light dose of a very specific wavelength,
and a handheld wand allows the energy to be delivered precisely to the affected areas
without harming healthy skin around them; also called exciplex laser.
Because the laser light never touches the surrounding skin, it reduces the risk of UV radi-
ation exposure. Excimer lasers are used to treat mild-to-moderate psoriasis and require
fewer and less vigorous treatments than other light therapies.
Tissue destruction by means of a high-frequency electric current; also called elec-
trodesiccation
This procedure is used to remove tumors and lesions within and on the body.
Surgical procedure to release pus or pressure built up under the skin, such as in an ab-
scess, and remove its contents
Procedure in which layers of cancer-containing skin are progressively excised and ex-
amined until only cancer-free tissue remains
Surgical procedure to transplant healthy tissue to an injured site
Human, animal, or artificial skin provides a temporary covering or permanent layer of
skin over a wound or burn.
Transplantation of healthy tissue from one person to another person; also called
homograft
In an allograft, the skin donor is usually a cadaver. This type of skin graft is temporary
and used to protect the patient against infection and fluid loss. The allograft is frozen
and stored in a skin bank until needed.
Transplantation of healthy tissue from one site to another site in the same individual
Transplantation of artificial skin produced from collagen fibers arranged in a lattice
pattern
With a synthetic skin graft, the recipient’s body does not reject the synthetic skin (pro-
duced artificially), and healing skin grows into it as the graft gradually disintegrates.
Transplantation (dermis only) from a foreign donor (usually a pig) and transferred
to a human; also called heterograft
A xenograft is used as a temporary graft to protect the patient against infection and fluid loss.
Additional Medical Terms • CHAPTER 3 91
cryosurgery
krī-ō-SĔR-jĕr-ē
débridement
dā-brēd-MŎN or dĭ-
BRĒD-mĕnt
excimer laser
ĔK-sŭh-mĕr
fulguration
fŭl-gū-RĀ-shŭn
incision and drainage
(I&D)
Mohs surgery
MŌZ
skin graft
allograft
ĂL-ō-grăft
autograft
AW-tō-grăft
synthetic
sĭn-THĔT-ĭk
xenograft
ZĔN-ō-grăft
