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enterotomy

enterotomy

9.9
A cut into the intestine during surgery to reach it or make an opening in the belly wall
  • noun
  • /ˌɛn.təˈrɒt.ə.mi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : enterotomía
  • The surgeon performed an enterotomy to remove the intestinal obstruction.

Examples

  • An enterotomy is sometimes required for diagnostic exploration during abdominal surgery.

  • An enterotomy may be necessary to create a stoma for patients with certain gastrointestinal conditions.

  • Complications can arise after a complicated enterotomy procedure.

  • An enterotomy is a crucial procedure.

  • The surgeon performed an enterotomy during the operation.

  • The surgeon performed an enterotomy to access the damaged part of the intestine.

  • During the emergency surgery, the doctors made an enterotomy to relieve the blockage.

Surface Forms

enterotomy singular
enterotomies plural

Morphology

enterotomy = enter (semi-transparent) = enter + otomy

The structure is literally 'enter-' (intestine) + '-otomy' (surgical incision), but both elements are technical combining forms that many B1 learners will not recognize.

Etymology

Enterotomy comes from Greek parts entero- meaning 'intestine' and -otomy meaning 'cutting', the same -otomy you see in tracheotomy, so it means a surgical cut into the intestine.