LAP-BAND® Glossary

Adjustment: The procedure performed by the surgeon to change the stoma size by adding or subtracting saline inside the band thru the access port. The adjustment process affects the rate of weight loss.

Bariatric Surgery: Surgery on the stomach and/or intestines with the purpose of facilitating weight loss in patients diagnosed with morbid obesity.

Behavioral Therapy: A complete psychological evaluation used to determine if an individual is a good or bad candidate for bariatric surgery. Factors considered in the evaluation include social history, psychiatric problems, current living situation, and patient's support system. Behavioral therapy also helps patients make the most of their weight loss surgery.

BioEnterics Corporation: The manufacturer of the LAP-BAND® System. Company is now known as INAMED Health.

Body Mass Index (BMI): A measure of body weight in relation to height. BMI can be used to determine if an individual is at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.

Co-Morbidities: Obesity-related health conditions and illnesses.

Criteria: Determines what is right for surgery.

Digestion: Process in which food is broken down by the stomach and upper small intestine into forms that can be absorbed by the body.

Fills: Another term for LAP-BAND® adjustments.

Ileum: The lower third of the small intestine (ten feet in length) that is involved in absorbing digested food into the body.

INAMED Health: Formerly known as BioEnterics Corporation. An innovator in laparoscopic surgery and the treatment of obesity and manufacturer of the LAP-BAND® System.

Jejunum: The middle part of the small intestine (ten feet in length) where digestion takes place.

Laparoscopic Surgery: A minimally invasive surgical technique that allows the doctor to see and treat the abdominal area with long fiber-optic instruments.

Morbid Obesity: Condition of being extremely overweight. Morbid Obesity is defined as having a BMI greater than 40. It may also be defined as being more than 100 pounds overweight if a male, or being more than 80 pounds overweight if a female.

Obesity: Condition of having a high amount of body fat. Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or greater.

Overweight: Condition of weighing too much for one's height. Overweight is defined as having a BMI of 25 to 30. Overweight may not always indicate fat, as athletes may weigh more due to muscle. Body weight is a total of fat, muscle, bone, and body water.

Port: Access point for adjusting the LAP-BAND. It is located under the skin and is attached to tubing that is attached to the Lap-Band.

Stoma: The stomach outlet created by the LAP-BAND between the two parts of the stomach. The size of the stoma regulates the flow of food from the upper pouch to the lower part of the stomach.