gastrectomy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “gastrectomy” mean?
A surgical operation to remove all or part of the stomach.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A surgical operation to remove all or part of the stomach.
The medical procedure of removing the stomach, either partially (partial gastrectomy) or completely (total gastrectomy), typically to treat stomach cancer, severe ulcers, or other gastric diseases.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; usage is identical in medical contexts.
Connotations
Purely clinical in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general discourse, used exclusively within medical/surgical fields.
Grammar
How to Use “gastrectomy” in a Sentence
The surgeon performed a [partial/total] gastrectomy on the patient.The patient underwent a gastrectomy for [cancer/severe ulcers].A gastrectomy was indicated due to...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gastrectomy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The surgical team decided to gastrectomise the affected portion.
- The patient was gastrectomised last Tuesday.
American English
- The surgeon opted to gastrectomize the malignant section.
- She was gastrectomized using a minimally invasive technique.
adverb
British English
- The stomach was removed gastrectomically.
- The approach was gastrectomically unsound.
American English
- The organ was excised gastrectomically.
- It was a gastrectomically complex case.
adjective
British English
- The gastrectomy procedure took three hours.
- Post-gastrectomy care is crucial.
American English
- The gastrectomy surgery was successful.
- He experienced gastrectomy-related nutritional deficits.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical journals, textbooks, and surgical case studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used; a layperson might say 'they removed my/their stomach'.
Technical
Core term in surgical oncology, gastroenterological surgery, and clinical reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gastrectomy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gastrectomy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gastrectomy”
- Misspelling as 'gastrectomy'.
- Confusing with 'gastrostomy' or 'gastroenterology'.
- Using it to refer to any stomach surgery (e.g., ulcer repair).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a major surgical procedure reserved for serious conditions like stomach cancer or life-threatening complications from ulcers.
Yes, after a total gastrectomy, the oesophagus is connected directly to the small intestine. Patients can live but require significant dietary adjustments and nutritional supplements.
A gastrectomy removes stomach tissue. A gastric bypass (for weight loss) divides the stomach to create a small pouch and reroutes the small intestine, but does not remove the main stomach.
Recovery is lengthy. Hospital stay is typically 1-2 weeks, with full recovery taking several months. It requires major lifestyle and dietary changes.
A surgical operation to remove all or part of the stomach.
Gastrectomy is usually technical/medical in register.
Gastrectomy: in British English it is pronounced /ɡæˈstrɛktəmi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡæˈstrɛktəmi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term is purely technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: GASTR (stomach, as in 'gastric') + ECTOMY (cutting out, as in 'appendectomy'). So, 'stomach-cutting-out'.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often conceptualized as a drastic but life-saving MEASURE/CONTAINER REMOVAL.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a gastrectomy?