reduction
Meaning of reduction: Reduction most often describes restoring a broken bone or dislocated joint to its normal position, though the word also carries a distinct chemistry meaning.
Definition of reduction
Reduction, in an orthopedic or surgical context, refers to the process of restoring a broken bone or a dislocated joint to its normal anatomical position. A closed reduction is performed manually, without an incision, by applying controlled force to guide the bone or joint back into place, while an open reduction requires surgery to directly access and realign the affected structure, often followed by fixation with hardware such as plates, screws, or rods.
Reduction can also describe a surgical procedure that decreases the size or volume of a body structure, such as a breast reduction performed to remove excess tissue.
Separately, in chemistry, reduction describes a reaction in which a substance gains electrons or hydrogen, the opposite of oxidation, a meaning unrelated to its surgical use but relevant to biochemical processes occurring within the body.
Used in a sentence
Closed reduction was performed to realign the dislocated shoulder joint.
Good to know
Reduction describing a fracture or dislocation and reduction describing a chemical reaction are entirely unrelated concepts that happen to share a single word, so context always determines which meaning is intended.
Word origin
Where “reduction” comes from
Formed from Latin reducere, from re-, meaning back, and ducere, meaning to lead, describing the act of leading a structure back to its original position.