Your Medical Term of the Week

Panniculus

A dense layer of fatty tissue growth, usually in the abdominal cavity. It is often the result of morbid obesity and can be mistaken for a hernia or tumor. In layman's terms, a panniculus is referred to as the "apron". Panniculus in Latin means "a little piece of cloth". Abdominal panniculi are graded by size from 1 to 5. A panniculus can also result from tissue loosened by pregnancy or massive weight loss.