Orthopaedics · Skeletal System · Hard
Kyphoplasty
Meaning: A procedure in which a balloon restores height to a collapsed vertebra before bone cement is injected.
In practice: Kyphoplasty was considered for her painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.
Word parts
- -plasty means surgical repair or reshaping
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related orthopaedics words.
Which word means: Surgical removal of all or part of a limb, often due to trauma, infection or poor circulation.
Answer: Amputation
Which word means: Bony prominence at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, usually with hallux valgus.
Answer: Bunion
Words like kyphoplasty come up in the daily game
One medical word a day, then a quick three-question quiz. Free on iPhone, or play in your browser on Android and computer.