Tomos = Greek for cutting
-tome
Cutting instrument
Suffixes
Definition
Medical term
-ectomy
cut out or excise
Dermatome
-stomy
New opening
Prostatectomy
-tomy
Temporary incision
Plebotomy
Colostomy
Dermatome = instrument for cutting thin layers of skin for grafting
Prostatectomy = excision of prostate gland
Colostomy = make permanent opening into
colon
Plebotomy = make temporary opening into vein