How Do You Spell SYMPATHETECTOMY?

1. Sympathetectomy, also known as sympathectomy, is a surgical procedure that involves the removal, cutting, or blocking of sympathetic nerves. These nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for involuntary bodily functions such as regulating blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature control. The sympathetic nerves, specifically, play a crucial role in the "fight or flight" response, activating various bodily functions during times of stress or emergency.

   Sympathetectomy is performed to interrupt or reduce sympathetic nerve signals in specific areas of the body. It is commonly used as a treatment for certain medical conditions such as excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), complex regional pain syndrome, Raynaud's disease, and certain circulatory disorders. By disrupting the sympathetic nerve signals, sympathetectomy aims to alleviate symptoms associated with these conditions, such as sweating, pain, and impaired blood flow.

   The technique used for sympathetectomy can vary depending on the specific medical condition being treated. It may involve surgical removal or severing of the sympathetic nerves, or alternatively, the use of chemical agents to block nerve signals.

   Although sympathetectomy can bring relief to patients suffering from certain conditions, it is not without potential risks and complications. These can include compensatory sweating in other areas of the body, nerve damage, and changes in blood pressure regulation.

   In summary, sympathetectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal, cutting, or blocking of sympathetic nerves as a therapeutic approach to address various medical conditions associated with hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system.

2. Excision of a segment of a sympathetic nerve or of a sympathetic ganglion.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for SYMPATHETECTOMY

The word "sympathetectomy" is derived from the combination of two main elements:

1. Sympathectomy: This term comes from the combination of "sympathetic" and "-ectomy".

- "Sympathetic" refers to the autonomic nervous system's sympathetic division, which is responsible for the body's fight-or-flight response.

- "-ectomy" is a suffix commonly used referring to the surgical removal of a specific body part.

2. Therefore, a "sympathetectomy" specifically refers to the surgical procedure of removing or cutting some part of the sympathetic nervous system. This procedure may be performed to alleviate certain medical conditions related to the overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, such as excessive sweating, certain circulatory disorders, or chronic pain.

Plural form of SYMPATHETECTOMY is SYMPATHETECTOMIES