Which affix means 'suture repair'?

• A. -rrhage
• B. -rrhagia
• C. -rrhaphy
• D. -scope

Answer: (C)

Suturing repair is shown by the suffix that means repair by sutures: -rrhaphy. This suffix comes from a Greek word for sewing or stitching, so terms ending with -rrhaphy describe a surgical repair performed by suturing, such as herniorrhaphy, which means repair of a hernia by suturing the tissue closed. The other suffixes indicate different concepts: -rrhage and -rrhagia refer to bleeding or hemorrhage, not repair, and -scope refers to an instrument used for examination or viewing, not a repair procedure.