If you are considering a surgical weight loss procedure, there are some terms that you should familiarize yourself with. This article will define some of the most commonly used.

Bariatric surgery is a specific term for weight loss surgery. There are several different types, including gastric banding, and laproscopic surgery. The term biocompatible refers to material that is not toxic or harmful to living tissue, and if your gastric band is made of this type of material, this means that the risk of infection post surgery will be significantly decreased.

Your healthcare team will become your most important asset both pre and post surgery and will likely include your lap band surgeons, primary care physician, psychological counselor, dietician, weight management center, and fitness expert. Some of the things that they will likely discuss with you include your percent of excess weight loss formula. This number is the amount of actual weight loss by ideal weight loss, then dividing by two and multiplying the total amount by 100 to achieve a percent. This will be calculated in order to evaluate your overall success.

Your surgical weight loss band will be wrapped around your stoma, or the upper portion of your stomach, creating a tight passage between the upper and lower chambers. Occasionally, usually as a result of over eating post surgery, a stoma blockage may occur. This can also be caused by a band that is too tight, and both of these can be treated on an outpatient basis in most cases. Food that may block the stoma include bread, pineapple, fibrous foods, celery, and tough cuts of red meat. Most people do not have to avoid these foods on a permanent basis, but do find that they have the need to avoid them during the initial recovery process.

As you move through the initial consultation phase, into the pre surgery preparation phase, it is important to carefully consider all of the ways that your surgical weight loss procedure will impact all aspects of your life, and which strategies you can use to ensure that you adhere to the new diet and exercise plans that will soon become a part of your daily life. During the recovery period, the strategies that you have developed will become and integral part of your success, and the best thing that you can do is listen to your lap band surgeons, take the time to educate yourself about these and other common terms associated with surgical weight loss.