Definition

A medical procedure that involves the surgical removal of an obstruction, known as an embolus, from a blood vessel.

Example

The doctor performed an embolectomy to clear the blocked artery.

Conversation

Have you heard about the embolectomy procedure they perform now?

Yeah, it's interesting how they can remove clots like that.

Exactly! It really makes a difference for patients with serious conditions.

For sure, medical advancements like that are so impressive.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Embolectomy is formed from "embolus" (from Greek "embolos", meaning a plug or stopper) and "-ectomy" (from Greek "ektome", meaning excision or removal). The word refers to the surgical removal of an embolus, which is a blockage in a blood vessel.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'plug' ('embolus') being 'removed' ('-ectomy') from a blood vessel — that's what embolectomy means.

Visually Confused Words