Surg. Also -o(r)raphy. [ad. assumed Gr. *σταφυλορραφία, f. σταφυλή (see STAPHYLE) + ῥαφή sewing, suture.] The surgical closure of a cleft palate.
1846. Brittan, trans. Malgaigne’s Man. Oper. Surg., 363. When there is only a narrow fissure in the velum, we have staphyloraphy, properly so called; when this cleft, very much separated, simulates a loss of substance, staphyloplasty.
1855. Dunglison, Med. Lex., Staphylorraphy … consists in paring the edges of the cleft; passing ligatures through them, and bringing them together.
1878. L. P. Meredith, Teeth, 242. The operation of staphyloraphy.
1898. Rose & Carless, Man. Surg., 722. In dealing with clefts of the soft palate alone, a modification of the above operation may be performed, called staphylorraphy.
attrib. 1895. Arnold & Sons’ Catal. Surg. Instrum., 232. Suture Needles for Staphyloraphy operations.
Hence Staphylorrhaphic a., pertaining to or used in staphylorrhaphy.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Staphyloraphic Instruments.
