Final answer:
Myotomy is a surgical procedure that means incision into a muscle, done to relieve tension or reduce muscle contractions in conditions such as achalasia or neuromuscular diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "myotomy" means incision into a muscle. This medical procedure involves cutting a muscle to relieve tension or reduce muscle contraction. The term comes from the Greek words 'myo' meaning muscle and 'tomy' meaning cutting. When myotomy is performed, it involves surgically cutting through part of a muscle.
This procedure is often done to treat conditions that cause muscle tightness or spasms, such as achalasia involving the esophagus, or certain neuromuscular diseases. It is not related to tendons, the eardrum, or the spinal cord, which are associated with other types of surgical procedures.