How to Pronounce Parathyroidectomy

Say it like this: par-ah-thy-roy-DEK-toh-mee. Break it into six syllables and stress (say louder) the fourth syllable: par-ah-thy-ROY-dek-toh-mee. The word rhymes "roy" with "boy" and ends with "mee" like the letter M.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say par-ah-THY-roid-eck-toh-mee, putting emphasis on "thy" instead of "roy." Remember: the stress goes on the fourth syllable, the "roy" part, not the "thy."

Yes! The word has three main parts: "para-" (meaning beside or near), "thyroid" (the large gland in your neck), and "-ectomy" (meaning surgical removal). Put together, it literally means "removal of glands near the thyroid."

The suffix "-ectomy" comes from Greek and always means "surgical removal of." You'll see it in other words like appendectomy (removal of the appendix) or tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils). Whenever you hear a medical word ending in "-ectomy," you know it's about surgery to remove something.

It's a surgical procedure where a doctor removes one or more of the tiny parathyroid glands, which are small glands located near the thyroid in your neck. Think of it as a "parathyroid removal surgery."

Sometimes doctors and medical staff use the abbreviation PTX or PTXM for parathyroidectomy. However, the full word is still commonly used and understood, so you'll hear both versions in medical settings.

Many! Thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland), nephrectomy (removal of a kidney), and hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) all end in "-ectomy." Once you know that "-ectomy" means removal, you can figure out what any of these words are about.

You might hear: "The patient had a parathyroidectomy to address their overactive parathyroid glands." Or: "The surgeon explained the parathyroidectomy procedure to the patient before the operation."