Additional Terms and Phrases You Should Know
NPO:
Nothing by mouth (Latin - Nil per os)
STAT:
Immediately
PRN:
As needed
-OSCOPY:
A suffix that means "Looking into." Hysteroscopy, for example is looking into the uterus, and
nephroscopy is looking into the kidney.)
-ECTOMY:
A suffix that means "Removal of." Colectomy, for example, is removal of part of the colon; hysterectomy
is removal of the uterus; stapedectomy is removal of the stapes which is one of the small ear bones; and
salpingo-oophorectomy is the removal of tubes (salpingo) and ovaries (oophoro.)
-OTOMY:
A suffix that means "Making a hole into (often a temporary hole)." Tracheotomy, for example, is making
a hole in the trachea; myringotomy is making a hole in the ear drum.
-OSTOMY:
A suffix that means "Making a more permanent hole." Colostomy is making a more permanent opening
into the colon; ileostomy is making a more permanent hole into the ileum.
-PLASTY:
A suffix that means "Repair of." Blepharoplasty is repair of the eye lids; tympanoplasty is repair of the
ear drum.