Receiving a Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Mexico

For those suffering with obesity, there are a variety of surgical procedures that can be performed to assist in the weight loss effort.  The more well known procedures are the gastric bypass or lap band procedures. These procedures are generally reserved for people with a body mass index over 30 units, which typically works out to about 80-100 pounds over ideal.

Much more rare are those who are excluded from the standard weight loss surgeries because they have a body mass index over 60 units or 160-200 pound over ideal.  For these individuals, the remaining choice is called a gastric sleeve surgery. Unlike the gastric bypass surgeries or lap band procedures that work through artificially reshaping the stomach, the gastric sleeve surgery is a permanent alteration to the physiology of the stomach.  The procedure is only performed laparoscopically, meaning there is no large incision.

Rather smaller incision are made to allow for extendable tubes to be inserted into the abdominal cavity.  These tubes carry cameras to provide visual guidance and instruments to perform the actual procedure. A portion of the stomach is cut away to reshape the curve and reduce the overall space available.  What remains is a tube shape.

The gastric sleeve operation is considered to be something of an experimental surgery and, as such, is not covered by most insurance providers.  With a cost of around $10,000, it is not something easily paid for out of pocket. Fortunately, the procedure is available abroad at internationally accredited facilities in Mexico for a significantly lower cost than at US hospitals.