sympathectomy

[ sim-puh-thek-tuh-mee ]

noun

, Medicine/Medical.

, plural sym·pa·thec·to·mies.

1. surgery that interrupts a nerve pathway of the sympathetic or involuntary nervous system.
2. Also called chemical sympathectomy. a like interruption by chemical means.

sympathectomy

/ ˌsɪmpəˈθɛktəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical excision or chemical destruction ( chemical sympathectomy ) of one or more parts of the sympathetic nervous system

Word History and Origins

Origin of sympathectomy¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; sympath(etic) + -ectomy

Word History and Origins

Origin of sympathectomy¹

C20: from sympathetic + -ectomy

Example Sentences

For people with severe Raynaud’s, a physician may recommend a sympathectomy, a procedure performed by incision or injections that destroys the nerves that trigger narrowing of the blood vessels.

From Washington Post

“There are a select group of patients who really after trying everything, they don’t get relief from sweating, and it’s these patients that come for a thoracic sympathectomy,” he says.

From US News

The Evidence: Scientists agree that malfunctioning sympathetic nerves contribute to chronic pain but sympathectomy remains controversial.

From Scientific American