Laryngectomy means surgical removal of the larynx.

• A. Removal of the vocal cords
• B. Surgical removal of the larynx
• C. Repair of the larynx
• D. Imaging of the larynx

Answer: (B)

Think of this term as built from a root that names the body part and a suffix that indicates a procedure. The root larynx refers to the voice box in the throat, and the suffix -ectomy means surgical removal. Put together, laryngectomy means the surgical removal of the larynx. This exactly matches the definition.

If you were talking about removing just the vocal cords, that would be a cordectomy. If you meant repairing the larynx, you'd use a term like laryngoplasty or another repair-focused word. Imaging the larynx would be described with imaging terms such as laryngography or laryngoscopy, not laryngectomy.