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Procedures & Tests Beginning With A
15 procedures and tests in this guide begin with the letter A. Every name links to a plain-language page covering what the procedure is, how to prepare, what happens during it, and what recovery involves.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X
| Procedure / test | Category | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening | Screening | AAA screening is a one-off ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta offered to men in the year they turn 65 (in the UK programme). It measures the aorta's diameter: normal results discharge you; small aneurysms enter surveillance scans at intervals; large ones are referred to vascular surgeons. |
| Abdominal ultrasound | Imaging & Scans | An abdominal ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves from a hand-held probe to create moving pictures of the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, pancreas, spleen and major blood vessels. It uses no radiation. |
| ACL reconstruction | Bones, Joints & Spine | Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction replaces the torn central knee ligament with a graft — usually tendon taken from your own hamstring or kneecap tendon, sometimes donor tissue — fixed inside tunnels drilled in the shin and thigh bones. |
| Acupuncture and dry needling (clinical context) | Minor Procedures & Pain | Acupuncture inserts very fine needles at defined points for pain and symptom management; dry needling targets myofascial trigger points. Both are used as adjuncts in chronic pain care, headache and musculoskeletal problems, usually within physiotherapy or pain clinics. |
| Adrenalectomy | General Surgery | An adrenalectomy removes one (rarely both) of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys and produce hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and aldosterone. It is usually keyhole surgery, through the abdomen or the back. |
| Allergy testing (skin prick / specific IgE) | Biopsies & Lab Tests | Allergy tests look for IgE-mediated (immediate) allergy. Skin prick testing places drops of allergen extracts on the skin and pricks through them; a wheal after 15 minutes indicates sensitisation. Blood tests measure specific IgE to individual allergens. Both must match your history to mean true allergy. |
| Amniocentesis | Women's Health | Amniocentesis is a diagnostic test in pregnancy: under continuous ultrasound guidance, a fine needle passes through the abdomen into the womb to take a small sample of the fluid around the baby, which contains the baby's cells for genetic and infection testing. |
| Angiography (catheter angiogram) | Imaging & Scans | An angiogram is an X-ray procedure in which contrast dye is injected through a fine tube (catheter) placed into a blood vessel, so that arteries or veins and any narrowings or blockages show up clearly. |
| Angioplasty and stent (PCI) | Heart | Angioplasty (PCI) is a treatment in which a small balloon passed through a catheter is inflated inside a narrowed coronary artery to widen it, usually leaving a small metal mesh tube (stent) to hold it open. |
| Ankle arthroscopy / fusion consult procedures | Bones, Joints & Spine | Two keyhole/joint procedures for the ankle: arthroscopy treats problems inside the joint (loose bodies, impingement, cartilage flaps) through a camera; ankle fusion (arthrodesis) permanently stiffens a severely arthritic ankle by joining the shin and ankle bones, trading movement for pain relief. |
| Anorectal physiology and manometry | Digestive | Anorectal physiology tests measure how the back passage and pelvic floor muscles work — their strength, coordination and sensation. They include anal manometry (pressures), sensation testing with a small balloon, and sometimes ultrasound of the anal muscles. |
| Appendicectomy (appendix removal) | General Surgery | An appendicectomy is an operation to remove the appendix, usually because it is inflamed (appendicitis). It is most often done as keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery through three small cuts, sometimes as open surgery through a larger cut. |
| Arterial blood gas (ABG) test | Biopsies & Lab Tests | An arterial blood gas measures oxygen, carbon dioxide and acidity (pH) in arterial blood, plus calculated values such as bicarbonate. It shows how well the lungs are exchanging gas and how the body is balancing acid and base — essential in acute illness and respiratory medicine. |
| Arthroscopy (keyhole joint surgery) | Endoscopy | Arthroscopy is keyhole surgery on a joint: a pencil-thin camera and miniature instruments are inserted through small cuts to look inside the joint and treat problems such as torn cartilage or loose fragments. The knee is most common; shoulders, ankles, wrists, elbows and hips can also be treated. |
| Audiometry (hearing test) | Brain & Nerves | Audiometry measures hearing thresholds: you listen to tones of different pitches and volumes through headphones (and a bone-conduction vibrator behind the ear) and signal when you just hear them. The results plot an audiogram that distinguishes conductive hearing loss (outer/middle ear) from sensorineural loss (inner ear/nerve). |
Please note: This page is educational information about a medical procedure or test. It does not replace the instructions of your own care team, who know your situation and whose preparation, fasting and medication advice you should follow if it differs from anything here. If you have symptoms that worry you, or an appointment you do not understand, contact your clinical team.