Glossary
Enzymes: Proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body.Hormone: A chemical substance produced in an organ, which, carried to an associated organ by the blood stream, influences its functional activity.
Gastric bypass surgery: Surgical creation of a small gastric pouch that empties directly into the jejunum through a gastrojejunostomy, thereby causing food to bypass the duodenum; done for the treatment of gross obesity.
Gastric banding surgery: Treatment for morbid obesity consisting of creation of a gastric pouch by application to the proximal stomach of a silicone band, sometimes with an accompanying reservoir that can be filled with saline to adjust the size of the pouch''s stoma.
Hematocrit: The percentage, by volume, of red cells in blood. Normal range for males is about 40-54 and for females 37-47 (values may vary slightly between laboratories).
Gastroplasty: The producing of a staple line across the upper portion of the stomach to limit gastric capacity and thereby intake. Used in severe obesity.
