Medical procedure

A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the delivery of healthcare.

A medical procedure with the intention of determining, measuring, or diagnosing a patient condition or parameter is also called a medical test. Other common kinds of procedures are therapeutic (i.e., intended to treat, cure, or restore function or structure), such as surgical and physical rehabilitation procedures.

Definition

• "An activity directed at or performed on an individual with the object of improving health, treating disease or injury, or making a diagnosis."^[1] - International Dictionary of Medicine and Biology
• "The act or conduct of diagnosis, treatment, or operation."^[2] - Stedman's Medical Dictionary by Thomas Lathrop Stedman
• "A series of steps by which a desired result is accomplished."^[3] - Dorland's Medical Dictionary by William Alexander Newman Dorland
• "The sequence of steps to be followed in establishing some course of action."^[4] - Mosby's Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary

List of medical procedures

Propaedeutic

• Auscultation
• Medical inspection (body features)
• Palpation
• Percussion (medicine)
• Vital signs measurement, such as blood pressure, body temperature, or pulse (or heart rate)

Diagnostic

• Lab tests
  • Biopsy test
  • Blood test
  • Stool test
  • Urinalysis
• Cardiac stress test
• Electrocardiography
• Electrocorticography
• Electroencephalography
• Electromyography
• Electroneuronography
• Electronystagmography
• Electrooculography
• Electroretinography
• Endoluminal capsule monitoring
• Endoscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Colposcopy
  • Cystoscopy
  • Gastroscopy
  • Laparoscopy
  • Laryngoscopy
  • Ophthalmoscopy
  • Otoscopy
  • Sigmoidoscopy
• Esophageal motility study
• Evoked potential
• Magnetoencephalography
• Medical imaging
  • Angiography
    • Aortography
    • Cerebral angiography
    • Coronary angiography
    • Lymphangiography
    • Pulmonary angiography
    • Ventriculography
  • Chest photofluorography
  • Computed tomography
  • Echocardiography
  • Electrical impedance tomography
  • Fluoroscopy
  • Magnetic resonance imaging
    • Diffuse optical imaging
    • Diffusion tensor imaging
    • Diffusion-weighted imaging
    • Functional magnetic resonance imaging
  • Positron emission tomography
  • Radiography
  • Scintillography
  • SPECT
  • Ultrasonography
    • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound
    • Gynecologic ultrasonography
    • Intravascular ultrasound
    • Obstetric ultrasonography
  • Thermography
  • Virtual colonoscopy
• Neuroimaging
• Posturography

Therapeutic

See also: Therapy and List of surgical procedures

• Thrombosis prophylaxis
• Precordial thump
• Politzerization
• Hemodialysis
• Hemofiltration
• Plasmapheresis
• Apheresis
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Cancer vaccine
• Cervical conization
• Chemotherapy
• Cytoluminescent therapy
• Insulin potentiation therapy
• Low-dose chemotherapy
• Monoclonal antibody therapy
• Photodynamic therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Tracheal intubation
• Unsealed source radiotherapy
• Virtual reality therapy
• Physical therapy/Physiotherapy
• Speech therapy
• Phototerapy
• Hydrotherapy
• Heat therapy
• Shock therapy
  • Insulin shock therapy
  • Electroconvulsive therapy
  • Symptomatic treatment
• Fluid replacement therapy
• Palliative care
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Oxygen therapy
• Gene therapy
• Enzyme replacement therapy
• Intravenous therapy
• Phage therapy
• Respiratory therapy
• Vision therapy
• Electrotherapy
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Laser therapy
• Combination therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Immunization
• Vaccination
• Immunosuppressive therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Drug therapy
• Acupuncture
• Antivenom
• Magnetic therapy
• Craniosacral therapy
• Chelation therapy
• Hormonal therapy
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Opiate replacement therapy
• Cell therapy
• Stem cell treatments
• Intubation
• Nebulization
• Inhalation therapy
• Particle therapy
• Proton therapy
• Fluoride therapy
• Cold compression therapy
• Animal-Assisted Therapy
• Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
• Nicotine replacement therapy
• Oral rehydration therapy

Surgical

• Ablation
• Amputation
• Biopsy
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Cryosurgery
• Endoscopic surgery
• Facial rejuvenation
• General surgery
• Hand surgery
• Hemilaminectomy
• Image-guided surgery
• Knee cartilage replacement therapy
• Laminectomy
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Lithotomy
• Lithotriptor
• Lobotomy
• Neovaginoplasty
• Radiosurgery
• Stereotactic surgery
• Vaginoplasty
• Xenotransplantation

Anesthesia

• Dissociative anesthesia^{[citation needed]}
• General anesthesia
• Local anesthesia
  • Topical anesthesia (surface)
  • Epidural (extradural) block
  • Spinal anesthesia (subarachnoid block)
• Regional anesthesia

Other

• Interventional radiology
• Screening (medicine)

See also

• Algorithm (medical)
• Autopsy
• Complication (medicine)
• Consensus (medical)
• Contraindication
• Course (medicine)
• Drug interaction
• Extracorporeal
• Guideline (medical)
• Iatrogenesis
• Invasive (medical)
• List of surgical instruments
• Medical error
• Medical prescription
• Medical test
• Minimally invasive
• Nocebo
• Non-invasive
• Physical examination
• Responsible drug use
• Surgical instruments
• Vital signs

References

1. International Dictionary of Medicine and Biology, Page 2297. ISBN 0-471-01849-X
2. Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 27th ed. Page 1446. ISBN 0-683-40007-X
3. Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 28th ed. Page 1353. ISBN 0-7216-2859-1
4. Mosby's Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary, Page 1278. ISBN 0-8016-7225-2