Adenectomy

/ˌædəˈnɛktəmi/ noun

Definition

A surgical procedure to remove glandular tissue, often referring to removal of adenoids or other lymphoid glands.

Etymology

From Greek 'aden' (gland) + '-ektome' (excision, surgical removal). This medical term was standardized in the 1800s as adenoid surgery became common.

Kelly Says

Adenectomy was once one of the most common childhood surgeries, but doctors eventually realized that adenoids actually help fight infections—so we removed them far less often than we used to!

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