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What’s In a Name? Post-Omentectomy Fluid Congestion Syndrome (“POFCS”).


After a great deal of reflection, I have decided that it is important to have a name that adequately reflects the complexity of the condition I manage on a daily basis. “Abdominal Lymphedema” is a phrase recognized by many, but in the end, this is only a small part of the many-faceted challenges my body faces managing fluids now that the omentum and its fluid-managing lymphatic vessels are absent from my body. I describe the condition I manage as having three distinct elements: 1. Abdominal lymphedema (excess fluid under the skin) 2. Abdominal distension (excess fluid dispersed in the abdominal cavity) 3. Excess fluid throughout the digestive tract (including the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and colon) The name I am proposing is:

Post-Omentectomy Fluid Congestion Syndrome (POFCS)

I do not know if this name will last the test of time, but I think it is a great starting point. This is my reasoning:

  • Post-Omentectomy: The first word references the root-cause of the issue: the removal of the omentum. The second part of this word, “ectomy” refers to the surgical removal of a specified body part. Similar terms are quite familiar, “hysterectomy”, “appendectomy”, etc.

  • Fluid Congestion: Fluid management is the crux of the problem, the heart of the matter, the essential central issue; it is now extremely challenging for my body to process the fluid I ingest.

  • Syndrome: The word “syndrome” reflects the multi-faceted angle of the issue: a group of symptoms, a suite of symptoms, captured by the three distinct results of processing fluids in an omentum-less body.

I hope this name is clear and descriptive; future posts regarding my fluid management condition will be tagged as “POFCS”, and will be in the new blog category: “Post-Omentectomy Fluid Congestion Syndrome (POFCS)”. Upcoming POFCS posts will provide more details about my experience with POFCS including the symptoms I experience and the strategies I have learned to help my body manage.

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