Craniectomy

/ˌkreɪniˈɛktəmi/ noun

Definition

A surgical procedure where a portion of the skull bone is removed, usually to relieve pressure or treat brain conditions.

Etymology

From Greek 'kranion' (skull) and 'ektomē' (excision or removal). Medical terminology combines these ancient roots to precisely name surgical procedures.

Kelly Says

Doctors still use this 2,000-year-old procedure today to save lives from brain swelling or tumors, yet the name is built from ancient Greek—showing how medicine's language is like a living fossil.

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