What does percutaneous mean?
Percutaneous is an adjective describing something that passes through the skin or is performed through the skin. It is especially common in medicine, pharmacology, and biomedical research, where it describes routes of drug administration, absorption, testing, or treatment. For example, a percutaneous vaccine is delivered through the skin rather than swallowed, and percutaneous absorption refers to a substance entering the body through the skin. The word comes from Latin roots meaning “through” and “skin,” and its precise use often depends on the surrounding technical vocabulary. In general writing, “through the skin” may be clearer for a non-specialist audience, but percutaneous is the established term in clinical and scientific contexts.
adjectiveThrough the skin; specifically, involving entry through or treatment of the skin rather than through an incision into deeper tissue.
- Passing through the skin or involving treatment or administration through the skin, especially in medicine.
"The clinician used a percutaneous injection to administer the medication."
"The vaccine was delivered by percutaneous injection rather than by mouth."
"Researchers studied the percutaneous absorption of chemicals through the skin."
From Latin words meaning “through” and “skin,” percutaneous is the medical shorthand for taking a shortcut through the body's outer barrier.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does percutaneous come from?
Percutaneous was formed in the early 19th century from Latin per- meaning “through” and cutaneus, meaning “of or relating to skin.” The underlying root cutis, meaning “skin,” also appears in related English words such as cutaneous, subcutaneous, and intracutaneous. The word entered English primarily through medical usage.
Related word forms
How percutaneous is actually used
Primarily used in medical and pharmacological contexts. It is more technical than the general phrase “through the skin,” and it does not necessarily mean that no needle or device is used.
Easily confused with percutaneous
Percutaneous means through the skin, whereas perceptive means able to understand or notice things accurately.
Percutaneous describes passage through or treatment via the skin, while intracutaneous describes something situated or injected within the skin.