Which suffix denotes surgical repair?

• A. Calcaneus
• B. Osteon
• C. -plasty
• D. Endosteum

Answer: (C)

Understanding suffixes that indicate a medical procedure helps decode terms. The suffix -plasty means surgical repair or reconstruction of a part. It’s added to a root that names the body part to show that a procedure is being performed, as in rhinoplasty (repair of the nose) or arthroplasty (surgical repair or replacement of a joint). The other terms here are anatomical words rather than procedure-suffixes: calcaneus is the heel bone, osteon is the basic structural unit of bone, and endosteum is the inner lining of bone. So the suffix that denotes surgical repair is -plasty.