esophagectomy
Meaning of esophagectomy: Esophagectomy removes part or all of the esophagus, most often to treat esophageal cancer that has not responded to other therapy alone.
Definition of esophagectomy
Esophagectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part or all of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the throat to the stomach. After the diseased portion is removed, the remaining esophagus is typically reconnected to the stomach or, in some cases, to a segment of intestine used to restore continuity of the digestive tract.
The procedure is most often performed to treat esophageal cancer, particularly when the disease is localized enough that complete surgical removal is considered likely to be effective, and it may be preceded or followed by other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Esophagectomy is a major operation that can affect eating and digestion afterward, so recovery typically involves gradual changes to diet and eating patterns.
The extent of esophagectomy performed depends on the location and extent of the disease being treated.
How esophagectomy is built
- esophag/o Combining form · Greek esophagus
- -ectomy Suffix · Greek surgical removal, excision
A medical term is read from its ending backwards: the suffix first, then the prefix, then the root. See all 223 word parts.
Used in a sentence
An esophagectomy was performed following completion of chemotherapy and radiation for esophageal cancer.
Good to know
Because the esophagus is reconnected to the stomach or intestine after esophagectomy, changes to eating patterns, including smaller and more frequent meals, are a common and expected part of recovery rather than a sign of a surgical complication.
Word origin
Where “esophagectomy” comes from
Formed from esophag-, from Greek oisophagos, meaning "gullet," and -ectomy, from Greek ektome, meaning "a cutting out."