Medical Terminology Simplified

Common Suffixes • CHAPTER 1 17

Suffix Term Meaning

-centesis arthr/o/centesis surgical puncture of a joint

surgical puncture ăr-thrō-sĕn-TĒ-sĭs

arthr/o: joint

-desis arthr/o/desis

binding, fixation (of a bone or joint) ăr-thrō-DĒ-sĭs

arthr/o:joint

-ectomy append/ectomy

excision, removal ăp-ĕn-DĔK-tō-mē

append:appendix

-lysis thromb/o/lysis

separation; destruction; loosening thrŏm-BŎL-ĭ-sĭs

thromb/o:blood clot Drug therapy is usually used to dissolve a

blood clot.

-pexy mast/o/pexy

fixation (of an organ) MĂS-tō-pĕks-ē

mast/o: breast Mastopexy is performed to affix sagging breasts

in a more elevated position, commonly im-

proving their shape.

-plasty rhin/o/plasty

surgical repair RĪ-nō-plăs-tē

rhin/o: nose

-rrhaphy my/o/rrhaphy

suture mī-OR-ă-fē

my/o: muscle

-stomy trache/o/stomy

forming an opening (mouth) trā-kē-ŎS-tō-mē

trache/o: trachea Tracheostomy may be performed to bypass an

(windpipe) obstructed upper airway.

-tome oste/o/tome

instrument to cut ŎS-tē-ō-tōm

oste/o: bone

-tomy trache/o/tomy

incision trā-kē–ŎT-ō–mē

trache/o: trachea Tracheotomy may be performed to gain access

(windpipe) to an airway below a blockage.

-tripsy lith/o/tripsy

crushing LĬTH-ō-trĭp-sē

lith/o: stone, calculus

Pronunciation Help Long sound a ̄in ra ̄te e ̄in re ̄birth ı ̄in ı ̄sle o ̄in o ̄ver u ̄in u ̄nite

Short sound a ̆in a ̆lone e ̆in e ̆ver ̆ıin ı ̆t o ̆in no ̆t u ̆in cu ̆t

Competency Verification:Check your answers in Appendix B: Answer Key, page 559. If you are not satisfied with
your level of comprehension, review the surgical suffixes and their meanings.