Medical Suffixes: -pexy vs. -plasty – Key Differences

Both -pexy and -plasty are surgical suffixes, but they describe different goals:

Feature	-pexy	-plasty
Purpose	Fix or secure an organ/tissue in place	Reconstruct or repair a body part
Invasiveness	Generally less invasive	More invasive
Recovery Time	Shorter	Longer

Examples

• Gastropexy – stomach tacked to abdominal wall (prevents twisting).
• Hysteropexy – uterus suspended in place.
• Rhinoplasty – nose reshaping/reconstruction.
• Mammaplasty – breast reconstruction or augmentation.

Understanding these suffixes helps clarify the intent of a surgical procedure.