Surgical and Medication Terms for Patients
Medical Terms and Abbreviations
This list preserves the original terms and provides corrected spelling, grammar, and consistent capitalization for clarity.
- INR
- International Normalized Ratio; a system that reports the results of blood clotting tests and is used when patients take anticoagulant medication.
- IM / IMI
- Intramuscular injection; an injection given into the muscle.
- liver disease
- A disease that decreases liver function.
- mane
- In the morning (Latin medical abbreviation).
- metabolism
- Chemical processes in the body that break down substances to produce energy.
- nocte
- At night (Latin medical abbreviation).
- orally
- By mouth.
- over-the-counter (OTC) medication
- Medication that can be bought at a pharmacy without a prescription.
- po
- Per os; by mouth.
- route
- The manner in which a drug enters the body (e.g., oral, rectal, IV).
- self-medication
- To administer medication to oneself without a doctor’s prescription or advice.
- side effects
- Unwanted effects of a medication.
- subcutaneous
- Under the skin.
- ambulation
- Walking.
- anaesthesia
- A drug that causes the loss of the ability to feel pain.
- anticoagulant
- A substance that prevents the clotting of blood.
- anti-embolic stockings
- Stockings that prevent the formation of DVT; also called TED (Thrombo-Embolism Deterrent) stockings.
- antiseptic wash
- Liquid soap that inhibits the growth of micro-organisms.
- appendicectomy
- Surgical removal of the appendix.
- blood clot
- A collection of fibrin, platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells.
- bowel prep
- Preoperative evacuation of the contents of the bowel using laxatives and/or enemas.
- cholecystectomy
- Surgical removal of the gallbladder.
- clear fluids
- Any transparent fluids (e.g., apple juice, water, black tea, or black coffee).
- coagulation
- The process of changing from a liquid to a gel or solid state by a series of chemical reactions; often used to describe the formation of a blood clot.
- colonoscopy
- Inspection of the colon using an endoscope inserted through the rectum.
- consent form
- A legal document signed by patients to give consent for a procedure or operation.
- DVT
- Deep vein thromboses; formation of a blood clot in the deep veins, usually those in the legs.
- drain
- A tube used to remove blood or other fluids from a wound.
- embolism
- Sudden blocking of an artery by an embolus.
- embolus
- A blood clot that breaks off the wall of a blood vessel and moves in the circulatory system.
- endoscope
- An instrument with a rigid or flexible tube used to view internal structures, take photographs, take biopsies, and remove foreign objects.
- heparin
- A substance that slows blood clotting.
- heparin sodium
- An injectable anticoagulant used to prevent DVTs.
- keyhole surgery
- A surgical technique using small incisions in the abdomen to perform surgery; also called laparoscopic surgery or minimally invasive surgery.
- laparoscope
- A telescopic instrument usually connected to a video camera, fibre-optic cable, and cold light source so that the operative area can be viewed.
- lock-out time
- The time programmed into a PCA pump to limit dosing and help prevent patient overdose.
- Nil By Mouth (NBM)
- No food or fluids to be taken by mouth.
- orthopaedic
- The correction of abnormal bone structures.
- pre-med
- A medication given to relax the preoperative patient.
- to prep a patient
- To prepare a patient for a procedure or operation.
- PE
- Pulmonary embolism; a condition caused by emboli travelling through the circulation to the lungs and blocking a pulmonary artery.
- venodilation
- Stretching or widening of the veins.
- to void
- To empty the bladder.
- warfarin
- An oral anticoagulant medication.
- A&E
- Accident and Emergency; also called Emergency Department (ED) or Casualty.
- analgesia
- Pain-relieving medication; also called painkillers.
- anti-pyretic
- A medication given to reduce fever.
- GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale)
- A neurological scale that assesses level of consciousness, scored out of a maximum of 15.
- hypothermia
- Low body temperature.
- incision
- A surgical cut.
- inguinal hernia
- A condition in which a loop of intestine protrudes into the inguinal canal.
- intact dressing
- A dressing that is secured and should not be removed until review.
- multiple fractures
- Several bones that are broken.
- oxygen sats (SaO2)
- A measure of how much oxygen the blood is carrying as a percentage of the maximum oxygen molecules the blood can carry.
- to rate pain
- To assess the severity of pain.
- Recovery
- The area near operating theatres where a patient recovers after an operation; also called PACU (Post Anaesthetic Care Unit).
- splenectomy
- Surgical removal of the spleen.
- tonsillectomy
- Surgical removal of the tonsils.
- visceral
- Relating to body organs, especially large abdominal organs.
- visually impaired
- Partially sighted or blind.
- wound closure
- The method used to close a wound, e.g., sutures or clips.
- zygoma
- The cheekbone.