How to Pronounce Wedge Resection

Say it like this: WEJ (rhymes with 'edge') reh-SEK-shun. The stress falls on the second syllable of the second word—REH-sek-SHUN—with the loudest emphasis on 'SEK.' The first word, 'wedge,' is pronounced the same way as the door stopper or slice of pie.

The stressed syllable is SEK in the word 'resection.' A common mistake is stressing the wrong part, like saying reh-sek-SHUN instead of reh-SEK-shun. Remember: the middle syllable gets the strong emphasis.

Break it down like this: WEDGE (one syllable) + re-SEC-tion (three syllables). Put them together: WEDGE / re-SEC-tion, which is four syllables total. The word 'wedge' is short and punchy, while 'resection' has three parts.

'Resection' simply means 'surgical removal' or 'cutting out.' It comes from the Latin word 'secare,' which means 'to cut.' Whenever you see 'resection' in a medical term, it's telling you that something is being surgically removed.

It's called 'wedge' resection because the shape of the tissue being removed looks like a wedge—think of a slice of pie or a doorstop. The term describes both what is being done (removal) and what shape it takes (wedge-shaped).

Other medical terms with 'resection' include 'lobectomy resection' (removing a lobe), 'tumor resection' (removing a tumor), and 'bowel resection' (removing part of the intestines). All of these follow the same pattern: a body part or structure + resection = surgical removal of that part.

You might hear: 'The patient's doctor discussed a wedge resection as a treatment option.' This sentence simply names the procedure without giving medical advice or treatment details.

People sometimes just say 'wedge' when the context is clear, but 'wedge resection' is the full, proper medical term. You might also hear it combined with other words, like 'pulmonary wedge resection' (pulmonary means 'related to the lungs').