noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The surgical procedure of cutting the anterior or posterior spinal nerve roots in order to relieve pain, or reduce muscle spasms.
2. 2
   surgical procedure in which spinal nerve roots are cut; done (anterior roots) to relieve intractable pain or (posterior roots) to stop severe muscle spasms wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

nerve root severingneurectomyroot dissectionroot severing

Antonyms

All antonyms

nerve preservationnerve sparingroot preservationroot sparing

Etymology

From rhizo- + -tomy.