Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes SUFFIXES Now we will add to your medical vocabulary even more by learning about the suffixes that are added to the end of the root words to build medical terms. In this section, we’ll define common suffixes used in medical terminology and have you combine them with the root words and prefixes discussed earlier in this unit to build new words. Slide 1 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Suffixes We’ll start with three suffixes that are used to describe surgical techniques. Plasty – form or reform Ectomy – surgical removal Otomy – surgical incision Note that the suffix ectomy may be used to describe the partial surgical removal of a structure. For example, it is highly unlikely that a person having a craniectomy would have his or her entire skull removed. Slide 2 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Pick a Box 1. Which term describes the procedure used to form or reform a person’s joint? 2. Which term means the partial surgical removal of the skull? 3. Which term refers to a surgical incision into the brain? ArthroplastyArthrotomyArthrectomy CraniotomyCraniectomyCraniplasty EncephalotomyEncephoplastyEncephalectomy Slide 3 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Both of the suffixes listed on the left mean pain. Suffixes Algia - pain Dynia - pain Slide 4 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes The following suffixes are used in medical terms to describe a condition or disease of a specific body part. Suffixes Osis – condition or disease Itis – inflammation Trophy – nourishment, growth or generation Combining the suffix osis with the root word for nerve, neuro, gives us the term neurosis, which means a condition of the nerves.. You may see arthritis combined with the root word for bone, osteo. Osteoarthritis sounds like an inflammation of a bone and a joint. However, since there would be no joints without bones to form them, the term osteo and arthr together mean joint end of a bone; that is, the end of a bone that forms a joint with another bone. So, the most accurate definition of osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the joint, or articular, end of a bone. You’re probably familiar with the word atrophy, which is a combination of the prefix a, which means a negative condition, and the suffix trophy. The term atrophy literally means without nourishment. Without nourishment, living things will waste away, and this is the usual concept of the term atrophy – wasting away from lack of nourishment. Slide 5 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes SUFFIXES You may see arthritis combined with the root word for bone, osteo. Osteoarthritis sounds like inflammation of a bone and a joint. However, since there would be no joints without bones to form them, the terms osteo and arthr together mean the joint end of a bone. The most accurate definition of osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the joint, or articular, end of a bone.

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes SUFFIXES You should now be familiar with the word atrophy, which is a combination of the prefix a, which means a negative condition, and the suffix trophy. The term atrophy literally means without nourishment. Without nourishment, living things will waste away, and this is the usual concept of the term atrophy – wasting away from lack of nourishment.

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes True or False? The suffix trophy means inflammation The suffix itis means inflammation Osis means a condition or disease TrueFalse TrueFalse TrueFalse Slide 6 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Two other common suffixes are: Suffixes Oma – tumor Uria - urine These suffixes are frequently combined with the root word for blood, hemat, to create the terms hematoma and hematuria. Slide 7 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Suffixes Emia – presence of blood Rrhage/Rrhagia – flow of blood You know that the root word for blood is hemat or hemato. Both of these suffixes, Emia and Rrhage/Rrhagia also refer to blood. Slide 8 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Pick a Box 1. The presence of blood in a bone is 2. Osteorrhagia is 3. A blood tumor is a ostemiahematemiaosteorrhagia The presence of blood in a bone The flow of blood from a bone A blood tumor in a bone hematomaomarrhagiahematemia Slide 9 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes The last set of suffixes for you to learn include these terms. Suffixes Thermia – heat or fever Rrhea – discharge of substance other than blood Olisthesis - slipping When you combine the suffix thermia with the prefix hyper, you get the word for high fever, which is hyperthermia. Rrhea, as you will note, refers to a discharge of a substance other than blood. For example, a patient who has an earache might suffer from otorrhea, which is a discharge from the ear. You may see the suffix olisthesis combined with the root word spondyl. The literal translation of the resulting term, spondylolisthesis, is a slipped vertabra. However, the precise definition is a condition which a vertebra has slipped forward over the vertebra below it. Slide 10 of 11

Menu Medical Terminology – Module 3 - Suffixes Slide 11 of 11 Great Job!! You made it through SUFFIXES. Now let’s proceed to the next part of the course; MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS.