Which is correct:
"sham-operated" or "sham operated"?

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sham-operated

This is a correct compound adjective commonly used in medical and scientific contexts.

Use "sham-operated" when describing a surgical procedure where no actual operation is performed, often in medical or scientific contexts.

Examples:

  • The sham-operated group showed similar results to the control group.
  • The study included a sham-operated control to account for any potential biases.

Alternatives:

  • placebo-operated
  • dummy-operated
  • control-operated
  • simulated-operated
  • pretend-operated

sham operated

This is correct when referring to the group of animals or subjects that underwent the sham procedure.

Use "sham operated" when referring to the group of animals or subjects that underwent the sham procedure, rather than describing the procedure itself.

Examples:

  • The sham operated mice did not show any significant differences compared to the control group.
  • The study compared the outcomes of the sham operated group with the untreated group.

Alternatives:

  • placebo operated
  • dummy operated
  • control operated
  • simulated operated
  • pretend operated
Both "sham-operated" and "sham operated" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Sham-operated" is typically used as a compound adjective to describe a surgical procedure where no actual operation is performed, while "sham operated" can be used when referring to the group of animals or subjects that underwent the sham procedure.

Last updated: March 25, 2024

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