excision (n.)

"the act of full or partial cutting off or away by surgical operation," especially of a small, diseased part of the body, late 15c. (Caxton), from Old French excision (14c.) and directly from Latin excisionem (nominative excisio) "a destroying," noun of action from past-participle stem of excidere "to cut out; destroy," from ex "out" (see ex-) + -cidere, combining form of caedere "to cut down" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike").