Etymed
gastrectomy
Definition
surgical removal of all or part of the stomach
Clinical context
A 58-year-old man presents with severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding and a history of peptic ulcer disease. Endoscopy reveals a large gastric ulcer with active bleeding. Despite conservative management attempts, the patient remains hemodynamically unstable. His surgeon recommends emergency gastrectomy to control hemorrhage and remove the diseased tissue. The patient undergoes a partial gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction. Postoperatively, he experiences dumping syndrome and requires dietary modifications.
Mnemonic
Gastric removal = Gastrectomy (Gast-ectomy)