surgical pt.

surgery

branch of medicine concerned with disease and trauma requiring operative procedures

ablation

an amputation or excision of any part of the body or removal of growth or harmful substances

palliative

therapy designed to relieve or reduce intensity of uncomfortable symptoms without cure

perioperative

role of the nurse during the preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative phases of a patients surgical experience

preoperative

before surgery

intraoperative

during surgery

postoperative

following surgery

ambulatory patient

enters setting, has surgical procedure, and is discharged the same day (breast biopsy, cataract extraction, scar revision)

same-day unit

enters hospital and undergoes surgery surgery on the same day and remains for convalescence (cholecystectomy, mastectomy, vaginal hysterectomy)

inpatient

admitted to hospital, undergoes surgery, and remains in the hospital for convalesncence

major

involves extensive reconstruction or alteration in body parts; poses great risks to well-being (coronary artery bypass, colon resection)

minor

involves minimal alteration in body parts; often designed to correct deformities; involves minimal risks compared with those of major procedures (skin graft, tooth extraction)

elective

performed on the basis of patients choice

urgent

necessary for patient's health

emergency

must be done immediately to save lige or preserve function of body part

diagnostic

surgical exploration that allows physician to confirm diagnosis; may involve removal of tissue for further diagnostic testing

reconstructive

restores function or appearance to traumatized or malfunctioning tissue

transplant

replaces malfunctioning organs

constructive

restores function lost or reduced as result of congenital anomalies

short-stay surgical center ("surgicenter")

independently owned agency; surgery performed when overnight hospitalization if not required (also called ambulatory surgical center or one-day)

short-stay unit

department or floor where a patient's stay does not exceed 242 hours (outpatient)

anastomosis

surgical joining of two ducts or blood vessels to allow flow from one to another; to bypass an area

-ectomy

surgical removal

Lysis

destruction or dissolution of

-orrhaphy

surgical repair of

-oscopy

direct visualization by a scope

-ostomy

opening is made to allow the passage of drainage

-otomy

opening into

-pexy

fixation of

-plasty

plastic surgery

informed consent

permission obtained from the patient to perform a specific test or procedure