The Action Suffixes

Many suffixes in medical terminology show action or the use of tools and instruments as in:

-ectomy  =  the action of surgically removing body tissue, organs, or structures.

-otomy  =   the action of surgically cutting into body tissue.

-otome  =  the tool used to surgically cut into body tissue or to remove body tissues or structures.

-ostomy  =  the action of surgically making a temporary or artificial opening into a cavity or tube.

-opsy      = the action to view or see body tissue.

-oscopy  =  the action of surgically or procedurally viewing tissues, organs, structures, tubes, vessels, or structures.

-oscope  = the instrument to view body structures, organs, or tissue.

-graphy   = the action of medically getting a picture, a visualization, or other viewing method of body functions, structures

                   organs, or tissue.

-graph    = the instrument used to get the picture or other viewing method of body function, structures, 

                  organs, or tissue.

-gram     = the actual record or picture (x-ray, EKG, EEG) to be viewed.

-plasty    = the action of surgically repairing structure, tissue, or organ.

-orraphy = the action of surgically suturing (sewing-up) tissue.

-orrhea  =  the flow of body fluids, generally refers to normal body fluids flowing, except where it is not 

                  normal to have fluids coming from that body area. 

-orrhage =  the bursting forth of body fluids, usually blood and usually abnormal.

-metry    =  the action or process of measuring of body structures or tissue.

-meter    =  the instrument used in the measuring of body structures or tissue

-centesis =  the action of surgically puncturing and aspirating (withdrawal) fluid

-desis      = the action to surgically fuse tissue.

-orrhexis = the action to wreck or rupture tissue

-pexy     =  the action to surgically fixated, put back into to place structures, organs, tissue

-tripsy    = the action of surgically crushing tissue, structures,  calcified or other stones

-ostasis  = the action to surgical control the flow of blood or other fluids.

-ostat    = the tool used to surgical control the flow of blood or other fluids.