Just curious - "pouch"

Does anyone know why we call our new stomach a "pouch" instead of a stomach?  My friend thinks it's weird when I talk about my pouch and I said, "Well, that's what everyone else on the Forum calls it." and she said, "Why?"  Just curious.  Thanks!

I would guess that it's because it's made from the stomach but is only a small part of it. Also,unlike a stomach which has a valve (the pyloric valve)at the bottom to regulate the flow of contents,the pouch is just like a funnel with a narrow opening called a stoma. We also still have the rest of our stomach inside us too. So it would be confusing to call both the stomach.

1. to distinguish from the stomach, taht we still have
2. to indicate the new "stomach pouch" has no pyloric valve, just a stoma, and really don't digest the food...

"In a RNY only a small part of the stomach is used to create a new stomach pouch, roughly the size of an egg. The smaller stomach is connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine (jejunum), bypassing the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenum)."

Thank you very much, Karen and H.a.l.a.B.!  Those explanations make a lot of sense!

the pouch is a lot like a drawstring purse with the draw string fairly wide open, making a little" pouch"

Follow up question:  

It has always freaked me out that they left my unused stomach portion in me.  Obviously it doesn't cause concern for infection because it's a common and acceptable practice,  but why is it that it doesn't die and cause problems for us?  And why do they leave it in? 

The digestive juices from your stomach still are attached and empty into your small intestine. It also still has a blood supply. 

Yup, it still functions. It just doesn't have food going into it. But otherwise it works just like before.

Fascinating! I looked up a diagram (which I have done many times before pre-op) but this time I see it and it resonated. I think before I had so much new information coming in that I was only looking at the new pouch/stoma situation on those diagrams. 

Thanks for your answers! :)   Still learning every day! The way it should be.... 

In my family, his name is "Pouchy".  I have no idea why we named him, except that when he gets a mind of his own or gets angry, I have an overwhelming need to anthropomorphize him ("Pouchy didn't like that." "Pouchy puked this morning." "Pouchy hasn't gotten over that extra mustard on the eggs.") 

And why is Pouchy a "him" instead of a "her"?  I could probably write my dissertation on that subject instead of what I am writing it on... there has to be some deep childhood trauma or psychology behind it... :D

Audrey