-ectomy, -ectome, -ectomize

(Greek: a suffix; cut, excise, surgical removal of)

glossectomy (glahs SEK to mee) (s) (noun), glossectomies (pl)
The surgical removal of the tongue or some part of it.
gonangiectomy
The surgical removal of all or part of the vas deferens (a coiled duct that conveys sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct and the urethra), usually as a means of sterilization in men.

The epididymis is a coiled segment of the spermatic ducts that serves to store, mature and transport spermatozoa between the testis and the vas (vas deferens).

gyrectomy (s) (noun), gyrectomies (pl)
An excision of a convolution or fold, twist, or coil of the brain, or a convolution on the surface of the cerebral hemisphere, of the cerebrum or head.
hemicolectomy
Surgical removal of the right or left side of the colon.
hemicorporectomy (s) (noun), hemicorporectomies (pl)
The surgical removal of the lower half of the body, including the lower extremities, bony pelvis, genitalia, and the various parts of the pelvic contents including the lower part of the rectum to the anus: A hemicorporectomy is a severely mutilating procedure recommended only as a last resort for patients with severe and potentially fatal physical illnesses.
hemicraniectomy, hemicraniotomy
1. Separation and reflection of the greater part or all of one half of the cranium, as a preliminary to an operation upon the brain.
2. The exposure of half of the brain by sectioning the vault of the skull from front to back near the median line and forcing the entire side outward.
hemigastrectomy
1. Excision of the distal (remote) half of the stomach.
2. Surgical removal of one half of the stomach.
hemiglossectomy
1. Surgery in which the tongue is divided lengthwise and one half is removed, usually because of cancer.
2. Resection of one side of the tongue.
hemihepatectomy
Surgical removal of half or a lobe of the liver.
hemilabyrinthectomy
The surgical removal of one or more of the membranous semicircular ear canals while leaving the ampullated ends and the saccule.
hemilaminectomy
1. Removal of a portion of a vertebral lamina (flat sheet), usually performed for exploration of, access to, or decompression of the intraspinal (within the spinal cord).
2. The surgical removal of one side of the vertebral lamina.
hemilaryngectomy
Excision of one lateral (side) half of the larynx (voice box).
hemimandibulectomy
Surgical removal of one lateral half of the mandible.
hemimaxillectomy
Surgical excision of half or part of the maxilla (major bone of the upper jaw).
heminephrectomy
1. Excision of a portion of a kidney.
2. Removal by surgery of part of a kidney

Related cutting-word units: cast-; castrat-; -cise, -cide; mutil-; put-; sec-, seg-; temno-; -tomy; trunc-.

-Ectomy Word-Sources of Definitions