Mastectomy The removal of all or part of the breast.

Minimally invasive surgery Any technique involved in surgery that does not require a large incision.

Modified radical mastectomy surgical removal of the entire breast and the axillary's lymph nodes.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with the use of a high-powered magnetic field, cross-sectional images can be made of organs and structures without using x- rays.

Nephrectomy surgical removal of the kidney.

Needle aspiration (of the breast) uses a thin needle and syringe to collect tissue or drain a lump after using a local anesthetic.

needle biopsy (of the breast) A procedure to remove a small piece of breast tissue using a needle with a special cutting edge, after using a local anesthetic.

Open surgery cutting the skin and tissues during surgery to expose a full view of the structures and organs involved in the procedure

Optional surgery An operation the patient chooses to have done, which may not be essential to continuation or quality of life. (See also elective surgery.)

Outpatient surgery Surgery which allows the patient to go home the same day.

Ovary One of a pair of almond-shaped glands situated on either side of the uterus. Egg cells develop in the ovaries

Partial colectomy The removal of part of the large intestine.

Peritoneal adhesions The peritoneum is a two-layered membrane that lines the wall of the abdominal cavity and covers abdominal organs. Sometimes organs begin to adhere to the peritoneum, requiring surgery to free the organs again.

Plasma The watery, straw-colored fluid which carries the cellular elements of the blood through circulation.

Pneumonectomy Removal of an entire lung, for cancer, or lung abscesses, bronchiectasis, or extensive tuberculosis.

Post-anesthesia care unit The area a patient is brought to after surgery to recover. Also called recovery room.

Prostatectomy Surgical procedure for the partial or complete removal of the prostate.

Radical mastectomy Surgical removal of the entire breast, the pectoral muscles, and the aXillary lymph nodes.

Regional anesthetic An anesthetic used to numb a portion of the body.

Required surgery An operation which is necessary to continue quality of life. Required surgery may not have to be done immediately, like emergency surgery

Saline solution A solution containing sodium chloride.

Salpingectomy Surgical removal of a fallopian tube

Shock A dangerous reduction of blood flow throughout the body

Sigmoidoscopy Examining the rectum and sigmoid colon.

Spinal anesthetic An anesthetic which is injected into the spinal canal fluid for surgery in the lower abdomen, pelvis, rectum, or other lower extremities.

Splenectomy Surgical removal of the spleen

subtotal or partial gastrectomy Surgical removal of a portion of the stomach

Thoracotomy Surgery to view the lung and may be used to confirm cancer, or for chest trauma to detect source of bleeding.

Thrombolytic drugs Medication used to dissolve blood clots.

Total gastrectomy Complete removal of the stomach.

Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy The entire uterus, fallopian tubes, and the ovaries are surgically removed.

Total hysterectomy The entire uterus is surgically removed, including the cervix; the fallopian tubes and the ovaries remain

Urinary retention The inability to empty the bladder.

Uterus The hollow, muscular organ of the female reproductive system

Wedge resection of the lung A small, localized section of the lung is removed -- often for a lung biopsy.

X-rays Electromagnetic energy used to produce images of bones, organs, and internal organs onto film