Dictionary

panniculus: The medical term for a layer of fat in the abdominal region, sometimes falsely diagnosed as a hernia.

pharmacotherapy: A drug treatment option for treating obesity.

predominantly restrictive procedures: Surgeries that focus on reducing stomach size to reduce obesity.

roux en y: The most popular gastric bypass surgery; the bowel is divided below the bottom of the stomach into a “y” shape to allow the flow of food into a smaller pouch.

sedentary lifestyle: A way of living often linked to obesity; a patient often sits all day with little or no exercise.

sleeve gastrectomy: A permanent, laparoscopic procedure during which the stomach is reduced in size and stapled back together.

stomach stapling: An alternate term for vertical banded gastroplasty.