Glossary of terms

Anastomosis:

A join between two segments of gastrointestinal tract (stomach or gut) made manually (with stitches) or mechanically (with staples).

Gastric bypass:

Sometimes referred to as a “short circuit”. The surgery gets its name from the fact that it bypasses part of the gastrointestinal tract, i.e. most of the stomach, the duodenum and the first 50 centimetres of intestine.

Comorbidities:

Diseases that are caused or aggravated by obesity.

Dumping syndrome:

A hypoglycemic episode that can occur after a bypass procedure.

Endocrinologist:

A specialist in hormonal and metabolic diseases (including nutrition).

Fistula:

A defect in the closing of a suture or staple in the intestine or stomach, causing a leak. This is one of the most serious complications in surgery. It delays the return to a normal diet and often requires the patient to undergo another operation.

Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS):

The French Ministry of Health’s clinical excellence authority, which gives recommendations on best practice in all areas of medicine (including surgery and the treatment of obesity).

BMI (Body Mass Index):

A number that measures the severity of obesity based on a patient’s weight and height.

Morbid obesity:

“Morbid” means “that causes illness”. Morbid obesity is therefore obesity of a level that is sufficiently high (BMI> 40) to be the direct cause of illness.

Weight loss:

The main criterion in measuring the effectiveness of bariatric surgery. For example, if you have 50 kg to lose and you lose 40 kg after surgery, you’ll have achieved 80% weight loss.

Satiety:

This is the feeling of not being hungry any more. It often corresponds with the feeling that your stomach is full.

 Sleeve:

 This is the shape given to the stomach in a sleeve gastrectomy.