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Originally Posted by Katinka  Wow, Kritts, interesting!
Always wondered what that apron was....now I know! 
Katinka |
It's an apron that you can't take off....and it's a major player in the physiology of the body that very few people in the medical profession have an awareness of.
I have found a few other links I'll submit (including original):
What is an Omentum?
the great concern with a fatty omentum is that it starts inflammatory processes, which can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries. Essentially the bigger the omentum, the more you are at risk for a variety of difficult illnesses.
The omentum also receives and stores hormones like cortisol, called a stress hormone. High stress can stimulate its growth. People who are under a great deal of stress may find that reducing the size of this organ is very difficult, and they are often advised not simply to diet, but also to reduce stress through a variety of therapies, relaxation techniques, and lifestyle changes. Stress and tummy fat are inexorably connected.
Omental lymphoid organ as a source of macrophage colony stimulating activity in peritoneal cavity.
Macrophage: A large scavenger cell, common in connective tissue and certain body organs, where it engulfs and destroys bacteria, and other foreign debris. Macrophages are also involved in the immune response.
What is the role of the omentum in regenerating the liver? | Eureka! Science News OMENTAL PROCEDURES
1) Omental Transposition: Dr. Harry Goldsmith (Nevada, USA) pioneered the development of omental transposition procedures for various central nervous system disorders. His work has stimulated many others who have now treated thousands of patients for SCI and other neurological disorders, such as stroke, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. The procedure’s acceptance has grown in other parts of the world, such as in China where many individuals have had function-restoring omental surgery.
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Lymphatic System: The omentum is rich in lymphatic vessels and tissue that are critical in removing metabolic waste and excess fluid, destroying toxic substances, and fighting disease.
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Criticism: A 1996 study (Clifton, et al, Spinal Cord, 34, 1996) appeared to provide the evidence to dismiss omental transposition as a viable SCI treatment. In this study, 11 patients with SCI were examined a year after omental surgery. Results were inconclusive; some subjects improved, and others did not. Because these ambiguous results were associated with side effects, the investigators concluded that there was “no justification for further clinical trials of this procedure.”
However, soon after Goldsmith rebutted this criticism (Spinal Cord, 35, 1997). Specifically, Goldsmith noted that the investigators had used two different surgical procedures, automatically confounding the study. Over half the time, they had used a free omental tissue graft instead of, as stated in their objectives, an attached omental pedicle. By so doing, they eliminated the tissue’s beneficial fluid-absorbing capability.