decortication

/diˌkɔrtɪˈkeɪʃən/
noun
  1. The process of removing the outer layer, bark, or husk from something.
    • The machine speeds up the decortication of coffee beans, removing the outer skin.
    • The decortication of the tree trunk was done carefully to avoid damaging the inner wood.
    • In the kitchen, decortication of garlic cloves is often done by crushing them with a knife.
  2. A surgical procedure to remove the outer membrane (cortex) from an organ, especially the lung or brain.
    • After the infection, decortication helped restore normal lung function.
    • The patient underwent decortication to remove the thickened membrane around his lung.
    • Decortication of the brain is sometimes performed to treat certain types of epilepsy.
What does "decortication" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean