Medical Terminology - Integumentary System, Operative Terms

Front 1

chemosurgery (chemical peel)

Back 1

technique for restoring wrinkles, scarred, or blemished skin by application of an acid solution to 'peel' away the top layers of skin

Front 2

cryosurgery

Back 2

destruction of tissue by freezing
[involves application of an extremely cold chemical (eg: liquid nitrogen)]

Front 3

dermabrasion

Back 3

surgical removal of frozen epidermis using wire brushes & emery papers to remove scars, tattoos, and/or wrinkles
[aerosol spray is used to freeze skin]

Front 4

debridement

Back 4

removal of dead tissue from a wound or burn site to promote healing & prevent infection

Front 5

curettage

Back 5

to clean; scraping of a wound using a spoon-like cutting instrument
[called a curette; this technique is used in debridement]

Front 6

electrosurgical procedures

Back 6

use of electric currents to destroy tissue

Front 7

electrosurgical procedures:
1- electrocautery

Back 7

use of instrument heated by electric current (cautery) to coagulate bleeding areas by burning the tissue
(eg: to sear blood vessel)

Front 8

electrosurgical procedures:
2- electrodesiccation

Back 8

use of short, high-frequency, electric currents to destroy tissue by drying
[--active electrode makes direct contact with skin lesion
(desicco=to dry up)]

Front 9

electrosurgical procedures:
3- fulguration

Back 9

to lighten; use of long, high-frequency, electric sparks to destroy tissue
[active electrode does NOT touch the skin]

Front 10

incision and drainage (I&D)

Back 10

incision and drainage of infected skin lesion
[eg: an abscess]

Front 11

laser surgery

Back 11

surgery using laser in various dermatological procedures to remove lesions, scars, tattoos, etc

Front 12

laser surgery:
- laser

Back 12

light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
[an instrument that concentrates high frequencies of light into a small, extremely intense beam that is precise in depth & diameter; it is applied to body tissues to destroy or for dissection (cutting of parts for study)]

Front 13

Mohs surgery

Back 13

technique used to excise tumors of the skin by removing fresh tissue layer by layer until tumor-free plane is reached

Front 14

skin grafting

Back 14

transfer of skin from one body site to another to replace skin lose through burns or injury

Front 15

skin grafting:
1- autograft

Back 15

transfer to a new position in body of same person

Front 16

skin grafting
2- homograft (allograft)

Back 16

donor transfer between indviduals of same species
[such as human to human (homo=same)(allo=other)]

Front 17

skin grafting
3- xenograft (heterograft)

Back 17

graft transfer from one animal species to one of another species
(xeno=strange) (hetero=different)