Surgical Principles: General Terminology

Cyst/Mass Treatment Definitions

• Resection – Removing an Entire Organ/Body Part
  • *Often Mistakenly Used Interchangeably with Excision
• Excision – Removing a Portion of an Organ/Body Part
  • *Often Mistakenly Used Interchangeably with Resection
• Enucleation – Removal of Mass Without Cutting or Dissecting into It so That it is Removed Clean and Whole from the Surrounding Capsule
• Unroofing – Cyst Wall Opened and Removed
• Marsupialization – Cut Slit into Mass, Suture Edges to Surrounding Tissue Forming a Continuous Surface
• Cytoreduction/Debulking – Excision of as Much of the Tumor as Possible