-ectomy, -ectome, -ectomize

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

costotransversectomy
Excision of a part of a rib with the transverse process of a vertebra.
craniectomy
1. Surgical removal of a portion of the cranium.
2. Surgery performed on the skull where pieces of bone are removed to gain access to the brain and the bone pieces are not replaced.
cricoidectomy
Excision of the cricoid cartilage.

The cricoid (from the Greek krikoeides, "ring-shaped") is the only complete ring of cartilage around the trachea which is a tube-like portion of the breathing or "respiratory" tract that connects the "voice box" (larynx) with the bronchial parts of the lungs.

cryohypophysectomy
Destruction of hypophysis by the application of extreme cold.

The hypophysis is a pituitary gland which is a small oval shaped endocrine gland situated at the base of the brain in the fossa (depression) of the sphenoid bone.

The overall role of the hypophysis (pituitary gland) is to regulate growth and metabolism. The gland is divided into the posterior and anterior pituitary, each responsible for the production of its own unique hormones.

cryopallidectomy
Destruction of the globus pallidus by the application of extreme cold.

The globus pallidus consists of the sriped gray and white matter of the brain. It is located in front of and lateral to the thalamus in each cerebral hemisphere.

cryoprostatectomy
Destruction of the prostate gland by freezing, utilizing a specially designed cryoprobe.
cryopulvinectomy
Destruction of the pulvinar by the application of extreme cold.
cryothalamectomy, cryothalamotomy
Destruction of the thalamus with the application of extreme cold.
cryptectomy
In medicine, excision of a crypt a hidden pit or tube in a body.
cryptorchidectomy
Surgical removal, or correction, of undescended testicles.
cystectomy
1. Surgery to remove the bladder.
2. Excision of a cyst or bladder, usually the urinary bladder.
cysticolithectomy
Removal of a calculus from the cystic duct (an abnormal closed cavity in the body).
cystolithectomy
The removal of a calculus from the urinary bladder.

This term has also been used erroneously for the excision of a gallstone from the gallbladder.

cystourethrectomy
Surgical removal of a segment or all of a bladder or ureter.
dacryoadenectomy (s) (noun), dacryoadenectomies (pl)
An operation to cut out a lacrinal gland: A dacryoadenectomy is the surgical removal or excision of the gland that secretes tears in an eye.

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

-Ectomy Word-Sources of Definitions