Operative Terms

Question 1

chemosurgery/ chemical peel

Answer 1

a technique for restoring wrinkled, scarred, or blemished skin by application of an acid solution to peel away top layers of the skin

Question 2

cryosurgery

Answer 2

destruction of tissue by freezing– involved application of an extremely cold chemical (liquid nitrogen)

Question 3

dermabrasion

Answer 3

surgical removal of frozen epidermis using wire brushes and emery papers to remove scars, tattoos, and wrinkles; aerosol spray is used to freeze the skin

Question 4

debridement

Answer 4

removal of dead tissue from a wound or burn site to promote healing and prevent infection

Question 5

curettage

Answer 5

to clean; scraping of a wound using a spoon-like cutting instrument called a curette; this technique is used in debridement

Question 6

electrosurgical procedures

Answer 6

use of electric currents to destroy tissue– the type and strength of the current and method of application varies

Question 7

electrocautery

Answer 7

use of an instrument heated by electric current (cautery) to coagulate bleeding areas by burning the tissue

Question 8

electrodesiccation

Answer 8

use of short, high-frequency, electric currents to destroy tissue by drying– the active electrode makes direct contact with the skin lesion (desicco= to dry up)

Question 9

fulguration

Answer 9

to lighten; use of long, high-frequency, electric sparks to destroy tissue the active electrode does not touch the skin

Question 10

incision and drainage (I&D)

Answer 10

incision and drainage of an infected skin lesion (an abscess)

Question 11

laser surgery

Answer 11

surgery using a laser in various dermatological procedures to remove lesions, scars, tattoos etc.

Question 12

laser

Answer 12

an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; an instrument that concentrates high frequencies of light into a mall, extremely intense beam that is precise in depth and diameter it is applied to body tissues to destroy lesions or for dissection

Question 13

Mohs surgery

Answer 13

a technique used to excise tumors of the skin by removing fresh tissue layer by layer until a tumor-free plane is reached

Question 14

skin grafting

Answer 14

transfer of skin from one body site to another to replace skin lost through burns or injury

Question 15

autograft

Answer 15

transfer to a new position in the body of the same person

Question 16

homograft/ allograft

Answer 16

donor transfer between individuals of the same species such as human to human (homo= same) (allo= other)

Question 17

xenograft/ heterograft

Answer 17

a graft transfer from one animal species to another species (xeno= strange) (hetero= different)