Author: drgastroenterologist

Bariatric Surgery refers to operations that modify the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to treat severe obesity and related metabolic disease. It most commonly involves changing the stomach size and/or altering nutrient flow through the small intestine. It is used in multidisciplinary obesity medicine and GI surgery settings. It is also discussed in gastroenterology because it affects reflux, absorption, liver disease, and endoscopic anatomy.

Sleeve Gastrectomy is a bariatric (weight-loss) operation that removes a large portion of the stomach. It reshapes the stomach into a narrow “sleeve” along the lesser curvature. It is commonly used to treat severe obesity and related metabolic disease. It is performed most often using minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) techniques.

Gastric Bypass is a bariatric (weight-loss) operation that changes stomach size and small-intestine flow. It creates a small stomach pouch and reroutes food into a downstream segment of small bowel. It is commonly used to treat severe obesity and obesity-related metabolic disease in surgical practice.

Duodenal Switch is a bariatric (weight-loss) surgery that changes the stomach and small intestine. It is usually performed to treat severe obesity and obesity-related metabolic disease. It combines a sleeve-shaped stomach with an intestinal bypass that reduces calorie absorption. It is most commonly used in specialized bariatric and metabolic surgery programs.

Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction is a clinical term for abnormal function of the sphincter at the junction of the bile and pancreatic ducts and the small intestine. It is used when patients have biliary-type or pancreatic-type pain and other causes are not clear. It most commonly comes up after gallbladder removal or during evaluation of unexplained pancreatitis.

Biliary Stricture means an abnormal narrowing of a bile duct. It can slow or block bile flow from the liver to the intestine. Clinicians use the term in imaging, endoscopy, surgery, and pathology discussions. It is evaluated in both benign (non-cancer) and malignant (cancer-related) conditions.

Cholangiography is an imaging technique used to visualize the bile ducts. It usually involves filling the biliary tree with contrast material and taking images, often with fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray). Clinicians use it to evaluate blockage, narrowing, leaks, or abnormal anatomy in the hepatobiliary system. It is commonly used in endoscopy suites, interventional radiology, and operating rooms.

Cholestasis means reduced or stopped bile flow. It is a clinical concept used to describe a pattern of disease affecting bile formation or bile drainage. It is commonly used in hepatology and gastroenterology when interpreting liver tests and jaundice. It can reflect problems inside the liver or blockage in the bile ducts outside the liver.

Biliary Colic is a clinical term for episodic pain that typically comes from transient blockage of bile flow from the gallbladder. It is most often discussed in the setting of gallstones (cholelithiasis) and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Clinicians use it as a symptom pattern to guide evaluation, imaging choices, and risk assessment. It is common in emergency, primary care, and gastroenterology/hepatobiliary surgery discussions.

Gallbladder Sludge is a mixture of tiny particles that collect in bile inside the gallbladder. It is most often seen as a finding on right upper quadrant ultrasound imaging. It can be an incidental (unexpected) discovery or a clue in evaluating biliary pain or pancreatitis. In clinical practice, it is discussed as part of hepatobiliary (liver and bile duct) assessment.