-otomy

Suffix: -otomy

Short Definition

A surgical incision into an organ, tissue, or anatomical structure.

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Long Definition

The suffix -otomy refers to a surgical procedure in which an incision is made into a body structure. This incision may be temporary or permanent and is often performed to access deeper tissues, relieve pressure, drain fluid, explore anatomy, or prepare for a more definitive procedure.

Unlike -ectomy (removal) or -plasty (reconstruction), -otomy does not involve removing tissue. It simply means opening or cutting into a structure for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

In coding, recognizing -otomy helps confirm that the procedure performed was an incision, not an excision or repair — a distinction that directly affects CPT code selection.

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Etymology

• From greek tomē (τομή) → “a cutting”
• From Greek verb temnein → “to cut”
• Combined with o- (linking vowel) to form -otomy, meaning “to cut into”

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Related Terms

Term	Meaning	Notes for Coders
-ectomy	Removal/excision	Tissue is removed, not just opened.
-plasty	Reconstruction/repair	Reshaping or rebuilding, not simply incising.
-ostomy	Creating a surgical opening	A permanent or semi-permanent stoma; not just an incision.
-rrhaphy	Suturing/repair	Closing tissue, not opening it.
-lysis	Loosening/freeing	Often performed after an -otomy to access structures.

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Common Medical Terms Using -otomy

General Surgery

• Laparotomy - Incision into the abdominal cavity
• Thoracotomy - Incision into the chest cavity

ENT

• Tracheotomy - Incision into the trachea
• Phlebotomy - Incision into a vein (commonly for blood withdrawal)

Neurosurgery

• Craniotomy - Opening the skull

Obstetrics / Gynecology

• Episiotomy - Incision of the perineum during childbirth

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Common Uses in Clinical Documentation

You’ll see -otomy when the surgeon:

• Opens a cavity or organ for exploration
• Creates temporary access to deeper structures
• Drains fluid or abscesses
• Relieves pressure (e.g., compartment syndrome)
• Performs a diagnostic incision

Documentation clues:

• “Incised”
• “Opened”
• “Explored”
• “Entered the cavity”
• “Access obtained via incision”

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Coder’s Notes

• Confirm purpose: incision vs. removal vs. repair.
• Look for approach (open vs. percutaneous vs. endoscopic).
• Identify whether the -otomy was primary or incidental (incidental openings are usually bundled).
• Check for additional procedures performed through the incision.

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DERIVATIONS of -otomy

TABLE definition AS Definition 
WHERE length(filter(roots, (word) => econtains([[]].roots, word))) > 0 AND file.name !=[[]].file.name
SORT file.name ASC

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Query

TABLE definition AS Definition
FROM #medroot
WHERE length(filter(definition, (word) => econtains([[]].definition, word))) > 0 AND file.name != [[]].file.name

Med roots dictionary Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms