1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Surgery

Glossary of Surgical Terms

When doctors and nurses talk about surgery, they can sound like they are speaking a foreign language. Instead of hunting for a translator, bone up on surgical terms here (presented to you in plain English).

Ablation Defined

Ablation defined, surgical ablation explained.

Abscess Defined

An explanation of abscess. The definition of abscess with examples.

Acute Definition

Acute definition. Find out what acute means and why it matters in medicine.

Adenoids Defined

What are adenoids, where are they and what do they do.

Analgesics and Analgesia Explained

Find out what analgesics are and what analgesia means. Learn more about analgesics here.

Anastomosis Defined

The surgical term anastamosis explained in detail, with image.

Anesthesiology Defined

The definition of anesthesiology, including an explanation of the types of anesthesia.

Anterior Defined

The definition of the word anterior, find out the meaning of anterior.

Antibiotics Explained

What exactly is an antibiotic? What do they treat, and what do they not treat? Learn more about antibiotic medications here.

Anticoagulants Explained

Wondering about anticoagulants and surgery? Learn more about what anticoagulants are and why they are used for surgery patients.

Antifungal Drugs

Antifungal drugs are a category of medications. Find out more about antifungals, why they are used, how they are given here.

Anxiolytic Drugs Explained

Learn more about anxiolytic drugs, including why anxiolytic medications are prescribed.

Apnea Definition

Find out what apnea is, what causes apnea and how apnea is diagnosed.

Appendectomy Defined

Appendectomy defined

Artery Definition

Artery defined. Learn what artery means and how arterial blood differs from venous blood.

Attending Surgeon Defined

Learn about the different education levels of physicians, including attending, fellow, resident, intern and medical student. Attending Defined. Who is an attending. Do I need an attending? Is an attending better than a non-attending?

Bacteremia Defined

What is bacteremia, how is it treated. More about bacteremia, sepsis and septic shock. Bacteremia explained.

Bariatrics Defined

The definition of bariatric.

Bilateral Defined

The definition of bilateral. An explanation of the term bilateral.

Biopsy Defined

What is a biopsy, why is a biopsy performed and what is the purpose of a biopsy.

Blood Poisoning Defined

Blood poisoning explained, including what blood poisoning is, how is it treated, who is at risk for blood poisoning.

Body Mass Index (BMI) Defined

Explaining what a body mass index means and how it is calculated.

Cardiac Defined

The definition of cardiac.

Cardiothoracic Defined

The definition of cardiothoracic, including surgical specialty and surgical procedures.

Catheter Definition

What is a catheter and why is it used, find out what a catheter is and why a catheter is used in medicine.

Cervical Defined

The definition of cervical, what does cervical mean, including cervical vertebrae and a woman's cervix,

Cervix Defined

Definition of the cervix

Chronic Definition

The term chronic is explained in detail.

Circulating Nurse Definition

Wondering what a circulating nurse is, and what a circulating nurse does? Learn more about circulating nurse job duties and more.

Clitoris Defined

What is the clitoris and where is it located? Understand the purpose of the clitoris, the location and more.

Colon Rectal Surgery Defined - What is Colon Rectal Surgery

An explanation of the surgical specialty of colon rectal surgery.

Congenital Definition - What Does Congenital Mean

An explanation of the term congenital, including congenital birth defects and congenital diseases.

Coronary Arteries Defined

Definition of coronary arteries

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Defined

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) defined

Debridement

Learn what debridement it, why it is done and the methods used for debridement in and out of surgery.

Diurectic Drugs Explained

Find out what a diuretic drug is, how it works and why it is given.

Dumping Syndrome Defined

The definition of dumping syndrome.

Duodenum Defined

Duodenum defined.

DVT: Deep Vein Thrombosis

Learn what a DVT, or deep vein thrombosis is, where they are commonly found and why they are more common after surgery.

Dyspnea Defined

What is dyspnea? What does the term dyspnea mean? Find out what dyspnea means.

Endotracheal Tube Defined

Endotracheal tube defined

Escharotomy Defined

Explaining what an escharotomy is and why this surgical procedure is done for burn patients.

Excise, Excision Definition

Excise, or excision surgery, explained. Find out what excision means and how it applies to your surgery.

Fallopian Tubes Defined

Fallopian tubes defined.

Fellowship Definition

What is a fellow? What is a surgical or medical fellowship? Learn more about how physicians are educated, what it means to be a fellow, and how a surgery fellowship plays a role in the training of new doctors.

Foley Catheter Definition

Need information about Foley Catheters? Wondering what a foley catheter is, why it is use and how a foley catheter is used? Learn all about Foley Catheters here.

General Anesthesia Defined

Definition of general anesthesia

General Surgery Defined

The definition of general surgery, with the practice of general surgeons explained.

Gynecology Surgery Defined

The definition of gynecology surgery, including the types of procedures performed by surgeons specializing in gynecology.

Hemorrhage (Haemorrhage) Definition

What is hemorrhage, and when is bleeding technically a hemorrhage, or haemorrhage? Learn more about hemorrhage, how it is treated and when it is a medical emergency.

Hepatic Defined

Hepatic explained in detail.

Hernia Defined

The definition of the word hernia.

Ileum Defined

The Definition of Ileum

In Situ Definition

In situ definition, what in situ means.

Incision Explained

What exactly is an incision, and why is it necessary? Learn more about surgical incisions.

Inpatient Surgery Defined

Inpatient surgery defined.

Intern Definition

What is an intern? What kind of doctor is an intern? What does intern mean and why is it important? Find out what you need to know if you are being cared for by an intern.

Intubation Defined

The definition of intubation, an explanation of why intubation is done and images of intubation.

Jejunum Defined

The definition of jejunum.

Kidneys Defined

The kidneys are very important organs in the human body, without the kidneys a person will require dialysis.

Lap Band Definition

What is the Lap Band and why is it used? Learn about the Lap Band and weight loss surgery.

Laparoscope Defined

Laparoscope defined

Laparoscopic Surgery

The definition of laparoscopic surgery

Local Anesthesia Defined

There are several types of anesthesia, local anesthesia is one of the types used for minor procedures.

Lymph Nodes Defined

An explanation of the function of lymph nodes, their location and more.

Malabsorptive Surgeries

Malabsorptive weight loss surgery defined.

Mammogram Defined

A mammogram is a test performed to examine breast tissue. Learn more about what a mammogram is, how it is performed and why.

Mastectomy Defined

What is a mastectomy and why is a mastectomy performed. The definition of surgical mastectomy.

Maxillofacial Surgery Defined

Maxillofacial surgery defined.

Microsurgery Defined

An explanation of microsurgery. What is microsurgery and when is microsurgery appropriate.

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery. What is it, why is it done, and how is minimally invasive surgery performed?

MRI Defined

Learn what an MRI does, how it works and why you might need one.

Necrosis Definition

Necrosis explained in detail, including the cause of necrosis.

Neurosurgery Definition

An explanation of the term neurosurgery.

Obstetrics Defined

The definition of obstetrics, including surgery.

Oncology Surgery Defined

The definition of oncology surgery, or surgical oncology.

Open Surgery Defined

The definition of "open" surgery.

Operation Defined

What is an operation? What does operation mean? What is the difference between a surgery and an operation? Find out about operations and how to prepare for one.

Ophthalmology Defined

The definition of ophthalmology, including surgery.

Oral Surgery Defined

The definition of oral surgery, including the practice of maxillofacial surgery. Includes the types of procedures performed by oral surgeons.

Organ Transplant Surgery Defined

The definition of transplant surgery.

Orthopedic Surgery Defined - What is Orthopedic Surgery

The branch of orthopedic surgery explained.

Otolaryngology (Ear Nose and Throat) Defind

The definition of Otolaryngology.

Outpatient Surgery

Outpatient procedure defined.

Ovary Defined

The definition of ovary.

Palliative Care Definition

Learn more about palliative care and palliative medicine, find out what palliative care is, when it is appropriate and more.

Pancreas Defined

Of all the organs in the human body, the pancreas is one of the least understood. Find out what the pancreas does, where it is and why it is so important.

Paralytic Drugs Explained

Learn more about paralytic medications and why they are used.

Patient Controlled Analgesia Explained

Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) explained.

Patient Defined

What is the definition of patient? Who is a patient? Learn what a patient is, then find more information about being an informed patient.

Pediatric Surgery Defined

An explanation of the surgical specialty of pediatric surgery including when an adult may be treated by a pediatric surgeon.

Perioperative Defined

Learn what perioperative means, how long the perioperative period lasts and what happens during the perioperative phase.

Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery Defined

The practice of plastic surgery defined, including areas of practice of plastic surgeons. Find out what reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery means.

Podiatry Defined - What is a Podiatrist

Podiatry explained. What is podiatry, what does a podiatrist do, when do you need a podiatrist.

Post Operative Defined

What does post operative mean? When does the post operative period end? What happens during the post operative phase of surgery? Learn these things and more!

Preoperative Definition

What does preoperative mean? How long is the preoperative phase of surgery? When does the preoperative period end? Find out the definition of preoperative and what you need to know in the preoperative phase of surgery.

Prolapse Defined

Prolapse explained in detail, including uterine prolapse.

Prophylactic Defined - The Meaning of Prophylactic

What does prophylactic mean? The definition of prophylactic, such as prophylactic mastectomy and prophylactic antibiotics. The definition of prophylactic.

Pulmonary Defined

Pulmonary explained in detail

Pus Defined

An explanation of the term pus, including what pus is made of, what pus means and why pus is a problem after surgery.

Referred Pain Defined

Referred pain explained, learn more about referred pain.

Regional Anesthesia Defined

There are several types of anesthesia, regional anesthesia is one type used during minor procedures.

Resection Defined

Resection surgery explained in detail. Learn more about surgical resections.

Resident Defined-What is a Resident

An explanation of the different levels of education for doctors, including medical and surgical residents. Know who is taking care of your healthcare!

Restrictive Weight Loss Surgery Defined

The definition of restrictive weight loss surgery.

Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty. What is rhinoplasty and what does the word rhinoplasty mean?

Scrub Nurse

Looking for information about nursing careers including scrub nurse jobs? Wondering who will be in the operating room during your surgery? Find out more about scrub nurse jobs and the role they play in the operating room.

Scrub Tech Definition

Wondering what a scrub tech is, and what a surgical scrub does? Learn about surgical scrub technicians, what they do in surgery and how they function in an operating room.

Sepsis Defined

Sepsis after surgery can be a life-threatening complication. What is sepsis, what causes sepsis and what is done to treat sepsis. Understand when sepsis becomes septic shock and the treatments necessary.

Sex Change Operation Defined

Learn more about sex change surgery, what a sex change surgery is, why it is done and more.

Shunt Defined

What is a shunt? What does shunting mean? Find out what a shunt it and what shunting means here.

Spleen Explained

What does the spleen do and how does it function? Find out what the spleen does and why you can live without it.

Surgeon Definition

Surgeon explained. The types of surgeons explained in detail. Learn about surgeons, types of surgeons and more.

Surgery Defined - What Does Surgery Mean

The definition of surgery, including what is surgery and what does surgery mean. Learn what surgery includes, what you need to know before having surgery and much more.

Surgical Defined

Surgical terminology, what does surgical mean? Surgical technology, surgical techniques, surgical procedures. Understand the meaning of surgical.

Sutures Defined

The definition of surgical sutures.

Thoracic Surgery Defined

An explanation of what thoracic surgery is, the structures a thoracic surgeon operates on and more.

Tonsillith or Tonsil Stone Defined

An explanation of the term tonsillith or tonsil stone.

Tonsillitis Defined

What is tonsillitis, what causes tonsillitis and how is it treated.

Tonsils Defined

An explanation of what tonsils do, where they are and what they are.

Trauma Surgery Defined

The definition of the surgical specialty of trauma.

Tumescent Anesthesia

Learn more about tumescent anesthesia, why tumescent anesthesia is used and when it is used.

Twilight Sleep Defined

Twilight Sleep is a commonly used term to describe a type of anesthesia.

Ultrasound Definition

What is an ultrasound test, why is it done and how does it work.

Umbilicus Defined

The definition of umbilicus, along with how it is created.

Uterus Defined

The definition of uterus.

Vagina Defined

The definition of vagina

Vascular Surgery Defined

An explanation of the term vascular surgery.

Ventilator Defined

Ventilators explained in detail. Why do you need a ventilator, why will a ventilator be used and how does it work.

What Is a Fistula?

Learn more about fistulas and how they happen.
Explore Surgery
About.com Special Features

8 Ways to Cut Drug Costs

Learn how to save money on medications with these recommendations. More >

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Surgery
  4. Glossary

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.