Definition

A surgical procedure that involves removing the inner lining of an artery that has become blocked or thickened due to plaque buildup.

Example

The doctor recommended an endarterectomy to improve blood flow in the patient's carotid artery.

Conversation

I heard my uncle is getting an endarterectomy next week.

Oh really? What’s that procedure for?

It's a surgery to remove plaque from arteries, I think.

That sounds pretty serious; I hope he recovers quickly!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Endarterectomy is formed from "enda-" (from Greek "endon", meaning within) and "artere" (from Greek "arteria", meaning artery) and "-ctomy" (from Greek "ektomē", meaning excision or cutting out). The term refers to the surgical procedure of removing the inner lining of an artery.

Memory Tip

Think of 'within' ('enda-') the 'artery' ('artere') being 'cut out' ('-ctomy') — that's what endarterectomy means.

Visually Confused Words