-rrhaphy
Meaning of -rrhaphy: A suffix from the surgeon's vocabulary: the structure named in front of it has been stitched back together with sutures.
Definition of -rrhaphy
-rrhaphy is a suffix meaning surgical repair by suturing, that is, stitching a structure closed or back together. It attaches to a word part naming the tissue being sewn, so tenorrhaphy is the stitching of a divided tendon and herniorrhaphy is the stitched repair of a hernia. The name describes the method of closure rather than the reason for operating.
What does the ending mean?
Suturing. An operation named with this ending repairs a structure by sewing it, either closing a defect or bringing divided edges back into contact. It belongs to a small family of endings that name what the surgeon did rather than what was wrong: -ectomy for removing a structure, -otomy for cutting into one, -ostomy for creating a lasting opening, -plasty for reshaping, -pexy for fixing something back in position, and -desis for fusing two surfaces together.
What does it attach to?
A word part naming the tissue being stitched. The result names the operation and not the diagnosis, so the same repair may be done for an injury, a weakness present from birth, or a defect left by earlier surgery. Any incision is closed with stitches at the end of an operation, but that routine closure is not what the ending marks; it is reserved for repair by suture as the point of the procedure. The thread is usually a synthetic polymer, some kinds dissolving as the tissue knits and others staying permanently.
| Word | Word part in front | What it names | What the operation does |
|---|---|---|---|
| herniorrhaphy | herni/o | hernia | Stitches the weakened wall closed behind the bulge |
| tenorrhaphy | ten/o | tendon | Joins the cut ends of a tendon |
| neurorrhaphy | neur/o | nerve | Sews the sheath of a divided nerve end to end |
| colporrhaphy | colp/o | vagina | Tightens a stretched vaginal wall |
| palatorrhaphy | palat/o | palate | Closes a cleft in the roof of the mouth |
Which endings sound the same?
Three near neighbors share the same rrh sequence and mean entirely different things, and mistaking one for another reverses the sense of the word.
| Ending | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -rrhaphy | Stitching a structure | herniorrhaphy |
| -rrhagia | Bursting forth, excessive flow | menorrhagia |
| -rrhea | A steady flow or discharge | rhinorrhea |
| -rrhexis | Rupture, tearing apart | karyorrhexis |
Why are there two letters r?
In ancient Greek an initial rho carried a breathing mark, and when such a word became the second half of a compound the letter doubled. That is why the r stands alone at the start of rhinitis and rheumatism but doubles in the middle of hemorrhage, diarrhea and herniorrhaphy. The spelling preserves an old pronunciation rather than signaling any shared meaning.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The operation note recorded a herniorrhaphy performed through an open approach.
Good to know
The similar endings carry unrelated meanings: -rrhaphy is stitching a structure, -rrhagia is bursting forth or heavy bleeding, -rrhea is a flow or discharge, and -rrhexis is rupture.
Word origin
Where “-rrhaphy” comes from
From the Greek rhaphe, a seam or stitching, built on rhaptein, to sew. The same verb gives rhapsody, originally songs stitched together.