INScribe Procedure/Surgery Medical Terminology

appendectomy

surgical removal of the appendix

cautery

burning the ends of the bleeding blood vessels to cause hemostasis; done with electrocautery or with silver nitrate sticks

cholecystectomy

surgical removal of the gallbladder

closed fracture reduction

procedure in which the broken bones are re-aligned without the need to surgically incise the skin; closed reductions are usually done by the ER doctor at the bedside

colostomy

the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface

cricoid pressure

procedure of placing pressure on the cricoid bone during rapid sequence intubation in order to prevent the passive reflux of stomach contents into the lungs. Also known as the "Sellick maneuver"

Cricothyrotomy

a surgical incision into the membrane between the cricoid bone and the laryngeal cartilage; done for the purpose of providing an airway when breathing through the mouth and nose is not an option

FAST exam

procedure in which the ultrasound is used in trauma to quickly determine the presence of internal bleeding. Focused assessment using sonography for trauma

Fundoscopic exam

exam in which an opthalmoscope is used to visualize the fundi aka the retina and optic nerve and vessels of the eye

Fusion

surgical procedure in which the vertebral bodies are fused together; usually done to prevent further spinal cord injury from disruption of the intervertebral ligaments and instability of the vertebral joints

hysterectomy

surgical removal of the uterus

intubation

procedure of placing an endotracheal tube into the trachea

Lateral canthotomy

surgical procedure in which the tendons of the lateral canthus of the eyelids are cut in order to relive ocular pressure and permanent blindness from a collection of blood behind the eye called a retrobulbar hematoma

oophorectomy

surgical removal of an ovary

Open reduction with internal fixation

ORIF, done by an orthopedic surgeon in the operating room in order to re-align and stabilize the fractured segments of bone

paracentesis

removal of accumulated fluid from abdomen

pericardiocentesis

procedure of advancing a needle through to chest to the pericardium in order to drain it

procedural sedation

procedure in which sedatives are used to put the patient to sleep while still maintaining their respiratory reflexes; done in order to allow the performance of certain painful procedures for example closed fracture reductions or laceration repairs in children; also known as "conscious sedation"

Rapid Sequence Intubation

procedure of emergent patient intubation where the patient is quickly given sedatives, paralytics, and cricoid pressure, "RSI"

salpingectomy

removal of the fallopian tube

lumbar puncture

spinal tap; procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid by inserting a needle through the back, midline and in between two vertebral bodies, also called "LP"

splenectomy

surgical removal of the spleen

thoracentesis

removal of fluid from the pleural space

thoracotomy

a surgical incision into the chest walls to open the pleural cavity for biopsy or treatment

tubal ligation

a surgical procedure for female sterilization that involves severing and tying the fallopian tubes.

TURP

(transurethral resection of the prostate) - the removal of excess prostatic tissue when it becomes enlarged by passing a cystoscope through the urethra to the prostate and cutting out the prostate

tonometry

procedure in which ocular pressure is measured with a tono pen