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photocoagulation

photocoagulation

1 9.9
A medical treatment that uses a strong laser to burn part of the retina to stop bleeding or attach it
  • noun
  • /ˌfoʊtəʊkəʊˈæɡjʊleɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fotocoagulación
  • After undergoing photocoagulation, she noticed a significant improvement in her vision.
  • laser photocoagulation

Examples

  • Of the physicians who knew about the trial of photocoagulation in diabetes, only a quarter had read the original report, and two-thirds had learned about it from colleagues.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Current treatment patterns of this process include anti-VEGF drug injections in addition to laser photocoagulation and surgery.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Throughout surgery, the argon laser enables photocoagulation of the microvessels, diminishing considerably the risk of bleeding into the labyrinth once stapedotomy is completed.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The Nd:YAG laser's ability to penetrate deep tissue and to scatter facilitates photocoagulation and hemostasis with minimal scarring and morbidity.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The doctor recommended photocoagulation to treat the patient's detached retina.

  • During the procedure, the surgeon performed photocoagulation to secure the retina effectively.

Synonyms

eye surgery
vsphotocoagulation
  • Specialized
8 3.9

A medical operation on the eye to fix sight problems

is a specific laser technique that secures or treats damaged retinal tissue
eye operation
vsphotocoagulation
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A surgery on the eye to fix vision or treat eye problems

is a targeted laser method that destroys diseased retinal tissue

Surface Forms

Morphology

photocoagulation = coagulation (semi-transparent) = photo + coagul + ation

The word is transparently built from 'photo-' meaning light and 'coagulation', but the medical procedure sense is specialized and not fully obvious to an average learner.

Etymology

Photocoagulation starts with photo- ('light'), the same photo- you know from photograph, and ends with coagulation ('to clot' or 'to make tissue stick together'), so it literally means using light to make a tissue seal. That's why doctors use a laser beam to burn or seal damaged parts of the retina to stop bleeding or hold the retina in place.