Which suffix denotes a surgical incision?

• A. -otomy
• B. Endosteum
• C. Cost/o
• D. Osteon

Answer: (A)

In medical terminology, the suffix that signals a surgical incision is -otomy, which means to cut into or create an opening in a body part. This is why words like tracheotomy or craniotomy describe procedures that involve making an incision into the trachea or the skull, respectively. The other terms refer to structures or forms rather than procedures: endosteum is the membrane lining the inner surface of bone, cost/o is a combining form meaning rib, and osteon is the microscopic structural unit of bone. So -otomy is the suffix that denotes a surgical incision.