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fasciotomy

fasciotomy

1 9.9
A medical operation that cuts the tough tissue around muscles to release pressure
  • noun
  • /ˌfæʃiˈɒtəmi/
  • Specialized
: fasciotomía
  • During surgical interventions, controlled limb reperfusion and fasciotomies seem to lower the risk of reperfusion injuries.
  • need for fasciotomy
  • do a fasciotomy

Examples

  • The surgeon performed a fasciotomy to relieve the tension caused by the swelling.

  • Survival of patients with necrotizing fasciitis has been shown to improve when adequate debridement and fasciotomy are performed early in infection (3, 20, 23, 24).

    Academic text (2015)
  • Bilateral leg fasciotomy was done in 8 patients.

    Academic text (2007)
  • If relief of external pressure does not prove effective, or if the pressure is caused by internal problems, a fasciotomy may be necessary.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Eight of our patients underwent bilateral leg fasciotomies.

    Academic text (2007)
  • The purpose of fasciotomy is to relieve compartmental pressure and restore tissue perfusion.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The creation of a cervical fasciotomy and mediastinotomy via a low collar incision allows for effective mediastinal decompression.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Compartment releases or fasciotomy should be considered if the intracompartmental pressure is above 30 mmHg in any of the four leg compartments (Grottkau, Epps, & DiScala, 2005).

    Academic text (2006)
  • A fasciotomy may be necessary if there is excessive pressure in the muscle compartment.

  • After the injury, the doctor decided that a fasciotomy would be the best option to restore normal blood flow.

Surface Forms

fasciotomy singular
fasciotomies plural

Morphology

fasciotomy = fascia + otomy (semi-transparent) = fasci + otomy

While the components 'fascia' and 'otomy' are clear, the specific medical procedure may not be immediately obvious to learners without medical knowledge.

Etymology

Fasciotomy comes from fascia, meaning 'band', and the suffix -otomy, meaning 'cutting'. So a fasciotomy is literally 'cutting the band' that surrounds a muscle to relieve pressure and protect the muscle.