Surgery - Surgical Abbreviations

General Symbols and Terms

# — Fracture.

1ry, 2ry, etc. — Primary, secondary, etc.

a/aa — Artery/arteries.

n/nn — Nerve/nerves.

v/vv — Vein/veins.

AA

AA — Alcoholics Anonymous.

ABG

ABG — Arterial blood gas.

ABPI

ABPI — Ankle-brachial pressure index.

Ab/AdPL/B

Ab/AdPL/B — Abductor/adductor pollicis longus/brevis.

Abx

Abx — Antibiotics.

AC

AC — Air conduction.

ACTH

ACTH — Adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

AF

AF — Atrial fibrillation.

AK[A]

AK[A] — Above knee [amputation].

AIDS

AIDS — Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

ALP

ALP — Alkaline phosphatase.

Amp

Amp — Ampicillin.

AOE

AOE — Acute otitis externa.

AOM

AOM — Acute otitis media.

AP

AP — Antero-posterior X-ray.

aPTT

aPTT — Activated partial thromboplastin time.

ARDS

ARDS — Adult respiratory distress syndrome.

ASA

ASA — Amino-salicylic acid (aspirin).

ASD

ASD — Atrial septal defect.

ASIS

ASIS — Anterior superior iliac spine.

AST

AST — Aspartate aminotransferase.

AXR

AXR — Abdominal X-ray.

BC

BC — Bone conduction.

bd

bd — Bis die, meaning twice daily.

BE

BE — Below elbow.

BK[A]

BK[A] — Below knee [amputation].

BLS

BLS — Basic Life Support.

BP

BP — Blood pressure.

CA

CA — Carcinoma.

CABG

CABG — Coronary artery bypass graft, sometimes pronounced “cabbage”.

CCF

CCF — Congestive cardiac failure.

Cef

Cef — Cefuroxime.

chrm

chrm — Chromosome.

CIS

CIS — Carcinoma in situ.

CMV

CMV — Cytomegalovirus.

C/O

C/O — Complains of.

COPD

COPD — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

CRP

CRP — C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker.

CRT

CRT — Capillary refill time.

CSOM

CSOM — Chronic suppurative otitis media.

CT

CT — Computed tomography.

CVA

CVA — Cerebrovascular accident. The term “stroke” is generally preferred.

CVP

CVP — Central venous pressure.

CXR

CXR — Chest X-ray.

D5W

D5W — Dextrose 5% in water.

DHx

DHx — Drug history.

DIC

DIC — Disseminated intravascular coagulation.

DIPJ

DIPJ — Distal interphalangeal joint.

DM

DM — Diabetes mellitus.

DRE

DRE — Digital rectal examination.

DT

DT — Delirium tremens.

DVT

DVT — Deep vein thrombosis.

Dx

Dx — Diagnosis.

ECG

ECG — Electrocardiogram.

Echo

Echo — Echocardiogram.

ENT

ENT — Ear, nose and throat.

EPB/L

EPB/L — Extensor pollicis brevis/longus.

ESR

ESR — Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

ETOH

ETOH — Alcohol.

EUA

EUA — Examination under anaesthesia.

Ex-Fix

Ex-Fix — External fixation.

FBC

FBC — Full blood count.

FDP

FDP — Fibrin degradation products.

FDP/S

FDP/S — Flexor digitorum profundus/superficialis.

FESS

FESS — Functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

FFP

FFP — Fresh frozen plasma.

FNA[C]

FNA[C] — Fine needle aspirate [cytology].

FOOSH

FOOSH — Fall on the outstretched hand.

FTSG

FTSG — Full thickness skin graft.

GA

GA — General anaesthetic.

GCS

GCS — Glasgow Coma Scale.

Gent

Gent — Gentamicin.

GP

GP — General Practitioner.

G&S

G&S — Group and save.

GTN

GTN — Glyceryl trinitrate.

GXM

GXM — Group and cross match.

HIV

HIV — Human immunodeficiency virus.

HPV

HPV — Human papilloma virus.

HTN

HTN — Hypertension.

HZO

HZO — Herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

ICP

ICP — Intracranial pressure.

I&D

I&D — Incision and drainage, commonly used for abscesses.

IHD

IHD — Ischaemic heart disease.

IMN

IMN — Intramedullary nailing.

IOP

IOP — Intra-ocular pressure.

ITU

ITU — Intensive Therapy Unit.

IVC

IVC — Inferior vena cava.

IVDU

IVDU — Intravenous drug user.

IVF

IVF — Intravenous fluids.

IVP/U

IVP/U — Intravenous pyelogram/urogram.

JVP

JVP — Jugular venous pressure.

KUB

KUB — Kidneys, ureters and bladder plain film.

LA

LA — Local anaesthetic.

lat

lat — Lateral X-ray.

LFT

LFT — Liver function test.

LUQ

LUQ — Left upper quadrant.

MAX FAX

MAX FAX — Maxillo-facial surgery.

MC

MC — Metacarpal.

M/C/S

M/C/S — Microscopy, culture and sensitivity.

Metro

Metro — Metronidazole.

MI

MI — Myocardial infarction.

MOF

MOF — Multiorgan failure.

MSU

MSU — Midstream urine.

MUA

MUA — Manipulation under anaesthetic.

N/A

N/A — Not applicable.

NAD

NAD — Nil abnormality detected.

NBM

NBM — Nil by mouth.

NGT

NGT — Nasogastric tube.

NOF

NOF — Neck of femur.

N/S

N/S — Normal saline.

NSAIDs

NSAIDs — Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

OA

OA — Osteoarthritis.

OCP

OCP — Oral contraceptive pill.

od

od — Omni die, meaning once daily.

qds

qds — Quater die sumendus, meaning to be taken four times daily.

OGD

OGD — Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

OPG

OPG — Orthopantomogram.

ORIF

ORIF — Open reduction and internal fixation.

OT

OT — Operating Theatre/Occupational Therapist.

PAN

PAN — Polyarteritis nodosum.

PCA

PCA — Patient-controlled analgesia.

PCWP

PCWP — Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.

PDA

PDA — Patent ductus arteriosus.

PE

PE — Pulmonary embolism.

PEEP

PEEP — Positive end-expiratory pressure.

PERLA

PERLA — Pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation.

PICU

PICU — Paediatric intensive therapy unit.

PIPJ

PIPJ — Proximal interphalangeal joint.

PMHx

PMHx — Past medical history.

PO

PO — Per os, meaning orally.

POP

POP — Plaster of Paris.

PR

PR — Per rectum, meaning rectally.

PRN

PRN — Pro re nata, meaning as needed.

PSIS

PSIS — Posterior superior iliac spine.

PT

PT — Prothrombin time.

PTCA

PTCA — Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

PUD

PUD — Peptic ulcer disease.

PV

PV — Per vaginum, meaning vaginally.

qxh

qxh — Every x hours. For example, q3h means every 3 hours.

RAPD

RAPD — Relative afferent pupillary defect.

RBS

RBS — Random blood sugar.

r/o

r/o — Rule out.

RTA

RTA — Road traffic accident.

RUQ

RUQ — Right upper quadrant.

Rx

Rx — Treatment.

SCC

SCC — Squamous cell carcinoma.

SIRS

SIRS — Systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

SLE

SLE — Systemic lupus erythematosus.

SNHL

SNHL — Sensorineural hearing loss.

SOB

SOB — Shortness of breath.

SSG

SSG — Split skin graft.

stat

stat — Immediately.

STD

STD — Sexually transmitted disease.

SVC

SVC — Superior vena cava.

Sx

Sx — Surgery.

SXR

SXR — Skull X-ray.

TB

TB — Tuberculosis.

tds

tds — Ter die sumendus, meaning to be taken three times daily.

TIA

TIA — Transient ischaemic attack.

TM

TM — Tympanic membrane.

TMJ

TMJ — Temporomandibular joint.

TOE

TOE — Transoesophageal echocardiogram.

TPN

TPN — Total parenteral nutrition.

TRAM

TRAM — Transverse rectus abdominis muscle.

TTE

TTE — Transthoracic echocardiogram.

UC

UC — Ulcerative colitis.

U&Es

U&Es — Urea and electrolytes, including creatinine.

U/O

U/O — Urine output.

URTI

URTI — Upper respiratory tract infection.

USS

USS — Ultrasound scan.

UTI

UTI — Urinary tract infection.

Vanc

Vanc — Vancomycin.

VE

VE — Vaginal examination.

VSD

VSD — Ventricular septal defect.

VUJ

VUJ — Vesico-ureteric junction.

WBC/WCC

WBC/WCC — White blood cells/white cell count.