Which word element means reconstruction in medical terminology?

• A. -plasty
• B. Litho
• C. Embol
• D. Bronchiolo

Answer: (A)

The word element that signals reconstruction through surgery is the suffix -plasty. This ending shows that the procedure involves repairing or reshaping a body part—for example, rhinoplasty for the nose or gastroplasty for the stomach, and angioplasty (often described as repairing or widening a vessel). The idea is that -plasty marks a surgical reconstruction or repair, not merely a disease or structure.

Other word parts here point to different ideas: litho- means stone, as in lithotripsy; embol- refers to an embolus or embolization; bronchiolo- relates to the bronchioles. None of these indicate reconstruction the way -plasty does.