Category: Or-Os

The surgical destruction of bone tissue. Osteoclasis is performed to reconstruct a bone that is malformed, often a broken bone that healed improperly. The bone is broken and then reshaped with the aid of metal pins, casting, and bracing.

Destruction and reabsorption of bone tissue, as occurs when broken bones heal.

An abnormal, solitary, benign growth of bone and cartilage, typically at the end of a long bone. Osteochondromas are usually discovered in persons 15 to 25 years of age and are the most common benign bone tumor. An osteochondroma is typically detected when the area around it is injured or when it becomes large.

A cell that makes bone. It does so by producing a matrix that then becomes mineralized. Bone mass is maintained by a balance between the activity of osteoblasts that form bone and other cells called osteoclasts that break it down.

Any disease of the bones and joints. From osteo-, bone + -arthro-, joint, + pathy, disease.

A type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage in the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis.

Combining form meaning bone. From the Greek “osteon”, bone. Appears for instance in osteoarthritis, osteochondroma osteodystrophy, osteogenesis, osteomyelitis, osteopathy, osteopetrosis, osteoporosis, osteosarcoma, etc.

Better known today as Paget disease, this is a chronic bone disorder that typically results in enlarged, deformed bones due to excessive breakdown and formation of bone tissue that can cause bones to weaken and may result in bone pain, arthritis, bony deformities and fractures. The disease is named for an English surgeon, Sir James Paget (1814-1899).…

Inflammation of the bone.

The process of creating bone, that is of transforming cartilage (or fibrous tissue) into bone. The human skeleton initially consists largely of cartilage which is relatively soft and is gradually transformed into hard bone during infant and child development. The verb corresponding to “ossification” is “ossify.” Cartilage becomes ossified as it is converted into bone. Bone is osseous tissue.…