anastomosis

American  

[uh-nas-tuh-moh-sis] / əˌnæs təˈmoʊ sɪs /

noun

anastomoses plural

1. Anatomy. communication between blood vessels by means of collateral channels, especially when usual routes are obstructed.

2. Biology, Geology. connection between parts of any branching system, as veinlets in a leaf or branches of a stream.

3. Surgery, Pathology. a joining of or opening between two organs or spaces that normally are not connected.

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anastomosis British  

/ əˌnæstəˈməʊsɪs, əˌnæstəˈmɒtɪk /

noun

1. a natural connection between two tubular structures, such as blood vessels

2. the surgical union of two hollow organs or parts that are normally separate

3. the separation and rejoining in a reticulate pattern of the veins of a leaf or of branches

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anastomotic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• anastomoses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anastomosis

1605–15; < New Latin < Greek: opening. See ana-, stoma, -osis