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Glite Dictionary
dermatome

dermatome

1 9.1
A tool that cuts thin pieces of skin for skin grafts
  • noun
  • /ˈdɜrməˌtoʊm/
  • Specialized
: dermatomo
  • The surgeon used a dermatome to take a precise skin graft from the patient's thigh.

Examples

  • During the advanced course of his disease, he had presented with shingles in a thoracic dermatome for which acyclovir was given.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Plastic surgeons call it a dermatome.

    You Only Live Twice (1967)

  • A dermatome is a vital tool for skin grafting procedures in plastic surgery.

  • In the operating room, the doctor demonstrated how to operate a dermatome effectively to harvest skin.

Surface Forms

dermatome singular
dermatomes plural

Morphology

dermatome = derma + tome (semi-transparent) = derma + tome

While 'derma' and 'tome' are clear, the specific surgical instrument meaning is specialized.

Etymology

The word dermatome comes from Greek parts derma 'skin' and -tome 'slice', like the derma part in dermatology. So a dermatome is literally a tool for cutting thin slices of skin for grafts.