Surgical procedures have long and possibly daunting names. Many have been mentioned on such medical drama shows as ER, or the TLC Network show, Trauma: Life in the ER. The meaning of many surgical procedure names can often be understood if the name is broken into parts. For example in splenectomy, "ectomy" is a suffix meaning the removal of a part of the body. "Splene-" means spleen. Thus, splenectomy refers to the surgical removal of the spleen (or sections thereof). "otomy" means to cut into a part of the body; a splenotomy would be to cut into, but not necessarily remove, the spleen.

The field of minimally invasive surgery has spawned another set of words, such as arthroscopic or laparoscopic surgery. These take the same form as above; an arthroscope is a device which allows the inside of the joint to be seen.

List of surgical term roots

• angio- : related to blood vessels
• arthr- : related to a joint
• bi- : two
• -desis : fusion of two parts into one
• -ectomy: surgical removal
• encephal- : related to the brain
• hepat- : related to the liver
• hyster- : related to the uterus
• lapar- : related to the abdominal cavity
• lobo-
• mammo- : related to the breast
• masto-
• nephro- : related to the kidney
• -oid
• oophor- : related to the ovary
• -opsy
• orchid- : related to the testicle
• -otomy
• pen-
• -plasty : replacement
• -sect
• vas- : related to the vas deferens

List of surgical procedures

• Abdominal surgery
• Abdominoplasty
• Adenoidectomy
• Amputation
• Angioplasty
• Appendicectomy (also Appendectomy)
• Arthrodesis
• Arthroplasty
• Arthroscopy
• Bilateral cingulotomy
• Biopsy
• brain surgery (see neurosurgery)
• Breast biopsy
• Cauterization
• Cesarean section
• Cholecystectomy
• Circumcision
• Cricothoracotomy
• Colon resection
• Colostomy
• Commissurotomy
• Cordotomy
• Clitoridectomy
• Discectomy
• Diverticulectomy
• Encephalectomy
• Episiotomy
• Foreskin restoration
• Fistulotomy
• Frontalis lift
• Fundectomy
• Gastrectomy
• Grafting
• Hemorrhoidectomy
• Hepatectomy
• Hernia repair
• Hysterectomy
• Laminectomy
• Laparoscopy
• Laparotomy
• Laryngectomy
• Lithotripsy
• Lobotomy
• Mammectomy
• Mammoplasty
• Mastectomy
• Mastoidectomy
• Mentoplasty
• Myotomy
• Nephrectomy
• neurosurgery
• Nissen fundoplication
• Oophorectomy
• Orchidectomy
• Parathyroidectomy
• Penectomy (also known as peotomy)
• Pneumotomy
• Psychosurgery
• Radiosurgery
• Ritidoplasty
• Sigmoidostomy
• Sphincterotomy
• Splenectomy
• Stapedectomy
• Thoracotomy
• Thyroidectomy
• Tonsillectomy
• Tracheotomy
• Tracheostomy
• Tubal ligation
• Ureterosigmoidostomy
• Vasectomy
• Vivisection