BJC Patient Care Technicians (PCT) Academy Practice Exam 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

In medical terms, the suffix that denotes surgical removal is -ectomy. It signals excision or removal of a part or organ, so you see terms like appendectomy (removal of the appendix) or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). Other suffixes point to different types of procedures: -scopy means looking inside with a scope (an endoscopy), -plasty means repair or reshaping, and -ostomy means creating an opening for drainage or passage (such as a colostomy). So the suffix for surgical removal is -ectomy.