veno

Veno is a combining form used in medical terminology to denote relation to veins. It derives from the Latin vena, meaning vein, and is commonly written with a hyphen when attached to a root, as veno-arterial, venovenous, or veno-occlusive disease.

In medical usage, veno- terms appear in several contexts. Venoarterial refers to connections or circuits involving both veins and arteries, such as venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), where blood is drained from a vein and returned to an artery. Venovenous terms describe processes or configurations that involve only venous connections, such as venovenous ECMO, used to support lung function by draining and returning blood through venous routes. Veno-occlusive disease denotes obstruction of small hepatic veins, a condition that can occur after chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation and may lead to liver dysfunction.

The prefix is not used as a standalone word; rather, it forms part of compound terms. It should not be confused with a proper noun or personal name. In other contexts, the spelling may vary (for example, veno-arterial or venovenous ECMO), but the underlying meaning remains related to veins. The term is primarily encountered in medical and technical writing rather than common usage.