Affixes

Terms always contain the linking vowel ‑o‑. Several examples refer to operations in which a part of the digestive system is opened, either for drainage or to introduce food: colostomy, an opening in the colon; ileostomy, in the ileum, a part of the small intestine; gastrostomy (Greek gastēr, gastr‑, stomach), in the stomach; and jejunostomy, in the jejunum, another part of the small intestine. Examples relating to other parts of the body include nephrostomy (Greek nephros, kidney), surgical creation of an opening to drain urine directly from the kidney, and salpingostomy (Greek salpinx, salping‑, trumpet), surgical unblocking of a blocked Fallopian tube. A general term for any operation of this type is ostomy. See also ‑tomy and ‑ectomy.