How and Why 10 Common Procedures Are Done
Excisionmeans “to surgically remove.”
For instance, alumpectomyis an excisional biopsy that removes an entire breast tumor.
This is different than a core biopsy, which takes just a part of the lump.
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Surgeries used to remove a specific part of the body often end with the suffix “-ectomy.”
Anappendectomy(used to remove the appendix) andcholecystectomy(gallbladder removal) are two such examples.
This article describes 10 different excisional procedures used to diagnose or treat medical conditions.
It also lists the different healthcare providers who routinely perform excisional surgeries.
Why Excisions Are Done
Surgical excision is often used with the intent to cure a condition.
Even so, additional treatmentscalledadjuvant therapiesmay be prescribedaftersurgery to prevent a disease from coming back.
On the other hand,neoadjuvant therapymay be usedbeforesurgery to make it less invasive and more effective.
Who Performs Surgical Excisions?
Others are specially trained and certified to treat specific organ systems.
Some excisions are performed as traditionalopen surgeriesinvolving a scalpel and a large incision.
Others are performedlaparoscopically, meaning with specialized tools that are manipulated through smaller incisions.
The size of the margin depends on the thickness of the tumor.
In some cases,skin graftingor askin flapis used to cover the wound.
Other wounds are simply closed with stitches.
The tumor can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Almost all tumor craniotomies are performed with a computerized navigation technique known asstereotaxy.
This improves the accuracy of the surgery and reduces the size of the incision needed to perform the excision.
Myxomas account for roughly 50% of all heart tumors.
Surgical excision is the only form of treatment for myxomas.
Excision of Venous Malformations
This is one of two treatment approaches used to remove venous malformations.
Sclerotherapy, the other treatment approach, involves the injection of chemicals into veins to make them shrink.
It is often used beforehand to reduce bleeding and make the malformation easier to remove.
Removing the tumor helps reduce the risk of abone fracture.
A metallic plate or transplanted bone may be used to stabilize and strengthen the bone.
It is used when conservative treatments like nasal steroids fail to provide relief.
The procedure is typically performed undergeneral anesthesiawith a rigid scope, called an endoscope.
As a precaution, any polyps found are removed as they are precursors for cancerous lesions.
The procedure is usually performed undermonitored anesthesia care (MAC)which causes “twilight sleep.”
It is then sent to the lab for evaluation.
Smaller ones may be removed as well.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeryis commonly used for endometrial excision.
This involves the insertion of specialized instruments through tiny keyhole incisions in the skin.
The tools are manipulated outside of the body with master controls.
Any excess tissue is then destroyed with intense heat (referred to asfulguration).
Orchiectomy
Orchiectomyis the surgical removal of one or both testicles.
It is mainly used to treattesticular canceror advancedprostate cancer.
Orchiectomy starts with an incision just above the pubic area.
Thetesticle, spermatic cord, and tumor are then removed from thescrotumand extracted through the opening.
The operation can be performed either laparoscopically or as open surgery.
The aim is to do so without destabilizing the shoulder itself.
The surgery is typically used when the joint is severely damaged by arthritis or an injury.
The joint will remain stabilized byligamentsthat bridge the severed section of bone.
There are many different types of surgical excisions.
Some may be performed on an outpatient basis in a healthcare provider’s office with no anesthesia.
Others may require open surgery with general anesthesia in a hospital.
Excisions are typically performed by surgeons either on an outpatient or inpatient basis.
Some may be performed with open surgery, while others may involve a less invasive procedure.
A Word From Verywell
The wordexcisionmay seem serious, but it’s not necessarily so.
Theremoval of a molefor cosmetic purposes is also a form of excision.
In the end, an excision only indicates that a part of your body is being removed surgically.
An excision means removing a portion of a body part or a complete section of tissue.
Yes, you’re free to have a surgical excision to remove a tattoo.
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American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Tattoo removal: Eliminate unwanted tattoos.
