Final answer:
The suffix -cele means protrusion or hernia, and it is used in medical terms like craniosynostosis, which involves a protrusive deformation due to early fusion of cranial sutures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suffix -cele refers to a protrusion or hernia. In the context of medical terminology, a hernia is the abnormal protrusion of an organ or tissue through the structure that normally contains it. An example of a medical condition involving this term is craniosynostosis, where there is a premature closure of a suture line in the skull, leading to a protrusion or deformation of the head.
It is important to distinguish -cele from other suffixes that might sound similar but have different meanings, such as -osis, which often denotes a condition or disease. In craniosynostosis, this word part signifies an abnormal state involving the cranial sutures. This condition occurs in approximately 1 in 2000 births and is more common in males. It can be either primary, involving one cranial suture, or complex, involving several sutures.