anastomosis
Americannoun
plural
anastomoses-
Anatomy. communication between blood vessels by means of collateral channels, especially when usual routes are obstructed.
-
Biology, Geology. connection between parts of any branching system, as veinlets in a leaf or branches of a stream.
-
Surgery, Pathology. a joining of or opening between two organs or spaces that normally are not connected.
noun
-
a natural connection between two tubular structures, such as blood vessels
-
the surgical union of two hollow organs or parts that are normally separate
-
the separation and rejoining in a reticulate pattern of the veins of a leaf or of branches
Other Word Forms
- anastomotic adjective
Etymology
Origin of anastomosis
1605–15; < New Latin < Greek: opening. See ana-, stoma, -osis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This had a repertoire of stitches, knots and manoeuvres that permitted it to plan and carry out a procedure, known as anastomosis, which involves sewing together two parts of a bodily tube.
From Economist • May 4, 2016
In addition, an arteriovenous anastomosis may bypass the capillary bed and lead directly to the venous system.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
The right and left anterior cerebral arteries join together to form an anastomosis called the anterior communicating artery.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
"Oh," I said, "you're going to do an end-to-end anastomosis."
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
Thoracic anastomosis between internal mammary and intercostals, with branches of axillary.
From A Manual of the Operations of Surgery For the Use of Senior Students, House Surgeons, and Junior Practitioners by Bell, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.