Glossary

Anastomosis- an anastomosis is a connection or opening between two things that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal or abnormal; it may be acquired or innate; and it may be natural or artificial.

Bariatric Surgery- also known as weight loss surgery and obesity surgery. This type of surgery is performed for the treatment of morbidly obese individuals. Bariatric surgery aims to restrict or reduce the size of the stomach, allowing the patient to “feel full” after eating much less food than would usually be consumed. This helps to facilitate weight loss.

Body Mass Index (BMI)- a number that’s calculated based on an individual’s height and weight. A BMI between 18 and 25 is considered normal. A BMI over 25 suggests that the individual is overweight, while 30-39 represents obesity. A BMI of 40+ suggests severe obesity.

Comorbidities- medical illnesses and/or diseases that are either caused by or contributed to by morbid obesity. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and arthritis (to name a few). Presence of these comorbidities lowers the weight threshold for surgical treatment from a BMI of 40+ to 35+.

Contraindications- any symptom or circumstance, such as substance abuse, emotional health issues, or other health conditions, that causes a healthcare professional to not recommend a treatment.

Dumping Syndrome- an uncomfortable episode of nausea, lightheadedness, upset stomach, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, related to ingestion of high-sugar, high-fat foods or liquids that can occur after certain bariatric surgeries, such as gastric bypass.

There are two types of dumping:

  1. Early dumping occurs 30-60 minutes after eating and can last up to 60 minutes. Symptoms include sweating, flushing, lightheadedness, palpitations, desire to lie down, upper abdominal fullness, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and active audible bowel sounds.

  2. Late dumping occurs 1-3 hours after eating. Symptoms are related to reactive hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which include sweating, shakiness, hunger, and fainting.

Duodenal Switch- is a weight-loss operation that modifies your stomach and your small intestine. It combines a gastrectomy (removal of part of your stomach) with an intestinal bypass, which makes the path your food takes through your intestines shorter.

Excess Weight Loss- excess weight can be calculated by taking your actual weight and subtracting your ideal weight. If you weigh 250 pounds and your ideal weight is 150 pounds, then your excess weight would be 100 pounds.

Gastric Bypass- the most oldest bariatric operation performed in the United States. The stomach is stapled closed with a tiny remnant of stomach (the pouch) connected to the upper intestine.

Gastric Sleeve- a relatively new and irreversible operation that surgically removes more than 80% of the stomach. The remaining stomach has the appearance of a “sleeve.” The medical term for this procedure is sleeve gastrectomy.

Hernia- a weakness in the tissue of the abdominal wall that results in a detectable bulge.

Ideal Weight- a concept that relates body weight to health and longevity (length of one’s life) developed from life insurance statistics. A BMI of less than 26 is considered a person’s ideal weight. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30-39 while morbid obesity is defined as a BMI greater than 40.

Laparoscopy- a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which the surgeon gains access to the abdominal cavity by way of 4 to 6 small incisions in the abdominal wall. An instrument called a laparoscope is used to give the surgeon an exceptionally clear view of the inside of the abdominal cavity. This surgical approach is considered “minimally invasive” because of the very small incisions used.

Morbid Obesity- a magnitude of obesity that qualifies someone for weight loss surgery. Individuals are considered morbidly obese when they are approximately 100 pounds or more over their ideal weight, or have a BMI of 40 or greater.

Multidisciplinary Bariatric Program- a team approach to testing and treatment obesity. It includes surgical, nutrition, physical, and psychological assessment and treatment. At Bruce Bariatrics we also offer medical weight loss with or without surgery.

Obstruction- the narrowing of a part of the gastrointestinal tract that slows down the normal passage of food or waste.

SADI-S- is a bariatric surgical technique to address metabolic disorders and to lose weight. It is a variation on the Duodenal Switch surgery, incorporating a vertical sleeve gastrectomy with a gastric bypass technique. The SADI-S is a type of bariatric surgery with a single surgical anastomosis.

Total weight loss- the formula to calculate your weight loss percentage is: lb lost divided by starting weight. Then, multiply the result by 100. So, if your starting weight is 150lbs and you lost 5lbs, you've lost 3.33% of your body weight. Note: Please keep in mind, this calculates total weight loss including muscle.