How to Pronounce Hepaticojejunostomy

Say it like this: heh-PAT-ih-koh-jeh-joo-NOS-toh-mee. The stress falls on the second syllable, which is PAT. Think of it as four chunks joined together: heh-PAT-ih-koh (first half) and jeh-joo-NOS-toh-mee (second half).

Stress the second syllable: PAT. A common mistake is stressing the third syllable (ih) or the sixth syllable (NOS) instead—but the emphasis should always be on PAT, right at the beginning: heh-**PAT**-ih-koh-jeh-joo-NOS-toh-mee.

Here's the breakdown: heh-PAT-ih-koh-jeh-joo-NOS-toh-mee (9 syllables total). You can also think of it as two medical root words joined together: hep-a-ti-co (relating to the liver) plus jej-u-nos-to-my (a surgical joining).

The word is made of three roots: 'hepatic' comes from Greek and means liver; 'jejun' refers to the jejunum, a part of the small intestine; and 'stomy' (from Greek 'stoma') means to create an opening or connection. Put together, it literally means 'making a connection between the liver duct and the jejunum.'

You could say 'a surgical connection between the liver duct and the small intestine.' Medical professionals might shorten it to 'hepaticojejun' in casual conversation, though the full term is usually used in formal settings.

You'll see 'hepatic' (relating to the liver) in words like hepatitis. You'll see 'stomy' (a surgical opening) in gastrostomy, colostomy, and tracheostomy. And 'jejuno-' appears in other intestine-related words like jejunitis.

You might hear it like this: 'The surgeon explained that the patient would need a hepaticojejunostomy to bypass the blocked bile duct.' It's a term you'd encounter in medical records, conversations between doctors, or medical education.

Yes—don't say hep-uh-TICK-oh or hep-ah-TIK-oh. The correct stress is heh-**PAT**-ih-koh, with the 'at' sound (like in 'cat') not 'tick' or 'tik.' Also avoid rushing the second half; take your time with jeh-joo-NOS-toh-mee.