Medically Reviewed By: Dr. David Warmflash (MD), Dr. Julia Osei (MBChB, MHS)
Bariatric Surgery in Cancun, Mexico
Obesity can hinder your day-to-day activities. Moreover, surgery in US and Canada can be expensive. Bariatric surgery in Cancun, Mexico, provides you with relief without costing a fortune. Read on to discover how traveling to Cancun, Mexico, helps you save up to 80% on weight loss surgery.
In Cancun, a Beautiful Transformation Awaits You!
Surgery for weight loss lowers the risk of death related to many diseases including heart disease (40% lower), diabetes (92% lower), and cancer (60% lower).[1]
Why Choose Cancun for Bariatric Surgery?
While US healthcare might be advanced, the healthcare cost is skyrocketing. However, in Cancun, patients can receive prime healthcare at affordable costs without compromising on the quality of the procedures.
You should note that the reasons why more and more people are opting to get medical procedures done in Cancun are:
Internationally trained and board-certified doctors
Connectivity to many US and Canadian cities
High-quality healthcare at a reasonable cost
Tropical beach town with many tourist attractions
Cost of Bariatric Surgery in Cancun
Bariatric surgery cost in Cancun varies from one procedure to another. For example, the cost of gastric sleeve surgery is $14,900 in the US.
However, the same surgery will cost you around $4,995 in Cancun. This entails a saving of 67%.
Further, the cost of gastric bypass in Cancun is $6,995 as compared to $23,000 in the US. In other words, you can save up to 70% on getting a gastric bypass in Cancun, Mexico.
| Surgery | Cancun | USA | Canada | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastric Sleeve | $4,995 | $14,900 | $15,425 | 67% |
| Gastric Bypass | $6,995 | $23,000 | $15,800 | 55%- 70% |
| Gastric Balloon | $3,650 | $8,150 | $11,500 | 55%- 68% |
| Gastric Balloon Removal | $2,100 | $6,385 | $8,000 | 67%- 80% |
| Mini Gastric Bypass | $6,995 | $15,000 | $15,000 | 53% |
*Prices are subject to change.
The table above clearly shows that you can save 50% to 80% on getting bariatric surgery in Cancun, Mexico. WLS can give you a new lease on life. However, only knowing the cost is not enough.
To add on, you need to understand what exactly is included in the mentioned price for doing the cost-benefit analysis.
Package Inclusions for Weight Loss Surgery in Cancun
| WLS Cost Includes | |
|---|---|
| Surgical team fees | Accompanying guest stay |
| Hospital fee | Freephone calls and Wi-Fi |
| Hospital stay | Online support |
| US-registered nutritionist program | Hotel stay |
| Aftercare | Loans and financing |
| Medications (1 week) | Ground transfer |
| Pre- and post-op lab work | WLS-friendly hotel meals |
Further, you will be delighted to know that the hotel stay is also included in the package price. Details of the same are given below:
Free Hotel Stay
| Procedure | Hotel Night(s) |
|---|---|
| Gastric Sleeve | 1 |
| Gastric Sleeve Plication | 1 |
| Gastric Balloon | 1 |
| Gastric Bypass | 1 |
| Mini Gastric Bypass | 1 |
Additionally, let's understand how you can pay for bariatric surgery in Cancun.
Payment Options
- Cash (US dollars)
- Credit card
- PayPal
- Bank deposit
- Cashier’s check
- Debit card
- Wire transfers
- Bank transfers
- Traveler's checks or checks issued in non-US banks will not be accepted in Mexico.
- Further, Cashier's checks from Canada and other countries are unacceptable because they can take up to six weeks to clear.
Bariatric Surgery in Cancun: Patient Reviews
Many patients have turned their lives around by getting a weight loss surgery in Cancun. Check out the below reviews to understand how WLS in Cancun can help you too:
Vicki Mack-Stone, USBariatric Surgery, Cancun
I had surgery July 2019, and I had an amazing experience! The staff were very caring and I honestly got good care.
Best Bariatric Surgeon in Cancun
Dr. Hector Perez
Certified by the CMCOEM and the Mexican Council of General Surgery, Dr. Perez has performed 10,000+ surgeries.
He currently leads the Scientific Committee and CMCOEM programs.
Education
- Mexican Faculty of Medicine, La Salle University
Memberships
- International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders
- Mexican College of Obesity Surgery and Metabolic Diseases
- Mexican Association of General Surgery
Best Bariatric Hospital in Cancun
Victoria Medical
- State-of-the-art hospital.
- In operation for 30+ years.
- Has well-appointed patient rooms.
- 20 minutes from an alluring beach in a safe neighborhood
- Latest equipment, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), emergency room, and has nurses available on a 24*7 basis.
What Is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgeries are performed on patients that directly impact their weight and metabolism.[2] Further, they can be classified as:
- Restricting the gastric space or,
- Making anatomical changes to the gastrointestinal tract to affect the absorption of nutrients or,
- A combination of the above two aspects
Bariatric surgery, also known as metabolic surgery or weight loss surgery is done for people with morbid obesity to achieve lasting weight loss and to induce remission of obesity-related comorbidities especially when diet, exercise and other non-surgical treatments have not worked.
Dr. Julia Osei
Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve
A study published in July 2018 showed sleeve gastrectomy results at 3 months, 1 year, and 5 years respectively. Further, it was successfully concluded that this procedure ensured 61.0% of excess weight loss after 5 years.[3]
To add on, some of the popular weight-loss surgeries available in Cancun are:
- Gastric Sleeve
- Mini Gastric Bypass
- Gastric Sleeve Plication
- Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
- Gastric Balloon
- Revision Bariatric Surgery
Here is a video in which a renowned weight loss surgeon in Cancun explains various weight loss surgeries and demarcates between malabsorptive and restrictive bariatric surgeries.
Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Options in Cancun, Mexico
3 Procedures of Weight Loss Surgery
There are 3 major categories of bariatric surgeries. The same is stated below :
It focuses on restricting the quantity of food by physically limiting the capacity of the stomach to hold food.[4]
Example: gastric sleeve and gastric balloon.
It involves either shortening or bypassing a portion of the small intestine.[5]
Example: Biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch (BPD-DS)
This procedure entails a combination of both mild restriction and malabsorption.[6]
Examples: Include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and mini-gastric bypass.
Types of Weight Loss Surgery
Gastric Sleeve in Cancun
- Also known as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG).[7]
- Involves the removal of nearly 80% of the stomach.[8]
- It eliminates a substantial fraction of the hunger-inducing hormone called ghrelin circulation within you.
- It alters the gut hormones that directly affect hunger levels, how soon you feel satiated, and the impact on blood sugar levels.[9]
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Procedure
- Reduces the capacity of the stomach to hold food, so you feel full after ingesting just a small amount of food.
- One can expect to lose 40 to 70% of excess weight within 1 year of the surgery.[10]
- By helping you to lose weight, it also helps with sleep apnea,[11] diabetes[12] and hypertension.[13]
- Non-reversible.[14]
- Further, the likelihood of long-term vitamin deficiencies is more.[15]
- The complication rate is 2.4%.[16]
Gastric Bypass in Cancun
- Firstly, a small pouch with a capacity of just an ounce or 30 millimeters is created out of the top portion of the stomach.[17]
- Then, the bottom portion of the small intestine is dragged up and joined with the new stomach pouch.
Gastric Bypass Surgery Procedure
- The other end of the divided small intestine is joined with the small intestine further down, thereby giving it a Y shape (hence the name Roux-en-Y).[18]
- Consequently, a segment of the small intestine that absorbs calories and nutrients is bypassed.
- Firstly, patients can lose up to 100 pounds of excess weight.[19]
- You should note that average maintenance is more than 50% of excess weight loss.
The procedure can be performed laparoscopically, meaning that special instruments are manipulated through tubes inserted through a few very small incisions in the abdomen. This contrasts with open procedures, requiring a fairly long incision.
-Dr David Warmflash
- It needs a longer hospital stay.
- Further, it causes long-term nutritional deficiencies (vitamin B12, iron, folate, calcium).
- In addition, It is more complex than gastric sleeve and banding with higher complication rates.
You should note that if you've had a vertical sleeve or gastric bypass, you will be required to take extra vitamins and minerals for the rest of your life.
Mini Gastric Bypass in Cancun
- Also known as One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB).[20]
- Then, it involves creating a smaller pouch out of the stomach and reconnecting it with the small intestine, bypassing 3 meters instead of 1.5 meters in the regular bypass.
Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery Procedure
- Further, while the traditional Roux-en-Y requires two connections, the mini bypass requires only one.
- Also, just like other procedures, the mini gastric bypass will be performed at state-of-the-art Victoria Hospital.
This surgery costs around $6,995 in Cancun, whereas the exact surgery costs around $15,000 in the USA and Canada. In other words, visiting Cancun would save more than 50% cost compared to the above places.
Further, if you are wondering if the mini gastric bypass is safe in Cancun, Mexico, the answer is yes!
Every year, many tourists flocking to Cancun have rendered it a safe destination for medical tourists. To add on, the quality of healthcare in Cancun is never compromised.
Excess Weight Loss Post-Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery
Difference Between Gastric Bypass and Mini Gastric Bypass
- The significant difference between gastric bypass and mini-gastric bypass is that the latter is the 'mini' version of the surgery.
- In other words, it is quicker, simpler, cheaper, and gives the same results as its 'big brother.'
Source: ScienceDirect
- Safe & Effective.
- Also, it is easily & reversible.
- Further, it is relatively simpler than RYGB.
- Above all, it results in permanent weight loss.
Source: IFSO
You should note that severe acid reflux is caused by gastric juices travelling back from the intestine into the new stomach pouch.
Gastric Balloon in Cancun
- First of all, a saline-filled silicone balloon is placed in the gastric space.[21]
- Next, it involves sliding a narrow tube loaded with the deflated gastric balloon down your throat while making its way into the stomach.
- Further, it is followed by an endoscopic insertion (a Flexi tube with a camera) down the throat and into the stomach.[22]
Gastric Balloon Surgery Procedure
- To add on, the camera relays the video stream of the balloon to the surgeon.
Required BMI
30-40
Duration
30 Minutes
Weight Loss
10-15%[23]
- Firstly, reduced gastric emptying time.
- Secondly, it does not require a hospital stay.
- Thirdly, changes in gut hormones control appetite, thereby reducing hunger.
- Further, improvement or the resolution of comorbidities of obesity, including heart diseases, stroke, hypertension, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes.
- Deflation of the balloon.
- Next is perforation of the stomach or ulceration, both of which require surgery.
- To add on, blockage of the digestive system is caused by the deflation and displacement of the gastric balloon.
- Lastly, pain and nausea post insertion of the balloon (reported by Mayo Clinic in about a third of the individuals).
What Is Revision Weight Loss Surgery?
In some cases, the initial bariatric surgery failure may require a second or revision procedure. Also, check out this video in which the surgeon explains revision procedures:
Revision Weight Loss Surgery (Sleeve to Bypass) – Cancun Bariatric Surgeon Explains
To add on, some of the popular revision weight loss surgeries are:
- Gastric re-sleeve
- Lap band to gastric sleeve
- Gastric bypass to banded gastric bypass
- Lap band to gastric bypass/mini gastric bypass
- Gastric sleeve to gastric bypass/mini gastric bypass
Weight Loss Drugs vs. Bariatric Surgery in Cancun
Wondering if weight loss drugs might be better than bariatric surgery in Cancun? Let's study some facts and address your concerns.
GLP-1 Agonists
Recently, there's been a lot of talk about weight loss drugs like GLP-1 agonists in the media. The media attention is based on a substantial amount of clinical research.
Two types of these high-attention drugs are liraglutide and semaglutide (trade names Saxenda and Wegovy, respectively).
A similar drug is tirzepatide, which has a dual mechanism of action, working not only as a GLP-1 agonist but also as a PIP agonist.
The aforementioned drugs were designed for managing type 2 diabetes but are also FDA-approved for people with excess weight.[24][25]
The Problem With GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
One downside of the three medications mentioned above is that they must be injected subcutaneously, usually into the abdomen, so you need to be comfortable doing that.
Additionally, any medication that is effective in producing benefits, generally also can cause undesirable effects.
Some research has suggested these drugs can cause a higher risk of the following.[26]
- Pancreatitis
- Bowel obstruction
- Gastroparesis (a slow-emptying stomach)
On account of the pancreatitis, there also was some concern that such agents might slightly elevate the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. However, the concerns were hyped in the media, and researchers have found that there is no compelling evidence of pancreatic cancer as of the writing of this article.[27]
-Dr David Warmflash
That's not the only problem! If you're dealing with co-morbidities like hypertension, these drugs might not provide the long-lasting solutions that surgery can.[28]
Plus, they can end up being expensive, too.[29]
The Comparison
Look at this detailed comparison table to make a well-informed choice.
| Aspect | Surgery | Drugs |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | BMI > 35 (with co-morbidities)[30] | Obese or
Type 2 Diabetic[31] |
| Common Methods | Gastric bypass, Gastric sleeve | Saxenda and Wegovy[32] |
| Weight Loss | 71 to 78%[33] | 15% to 20%[34] |
| Cost | Starts at $4,995 | ~$1,300 every month[35] |
| Invasiveness | Minimally invasive[36] | Less-invasive[37] |
| Side Effects | Infections, blood clots[38] | Nausea & pancreas inflammation[39] |
| Weight Regain (Post 1 Year) | 5.7%[40] | ~66.7%[41] |
*one year after stopping the medication
GLP-1 drugs need to be injected daily or weekly, depending on their type.[42]
Weight loss surgery offers more benefits, especially if your BMI is over 35. We suggest you discuss both options' effects in detail with a specialist.
Bariatric Surgery Trip to Cancun –Itinerary
Planning a trip to a foreign land can be intimidating. Read on for a complete day-wise itinerary.
Before The Trip
- Firstly, the nutritionist will contact you for a customized pre-op diet.
- Further, you'll receive an email from the transportation service with details regarding when and where you'll be picked up.
Day You Reach Cancun
After you reach the Cancun airport, you'll be transferred to the hotel.
Day of Surgery
- You will be brought to the hospital for check-ups.
- After that, the team will do the required pre-op work.
- Further, you will be taken to the OT after getting clearance.
- To add on, the doctor will perform a leak test through endoscopy with blue dye.
- Lastly, you'll stay at the hospital for two nights post the weight loss surgery.
Two Days After Surgery
- You should note that this is the day of hospital discharge.
- Firstly, the surgeon will perform a blue dye test and fluoroscopy.
- Secondly, live dynamic x-ray to ensure the stomach is working correctly.
- You should note that, after your discharge, you can spend a couple of days in Cancun for a vacation.
Pre-Op Work for Bariatric Surgery
Medical Tourism in Cancun
- Cancún is situated on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea.
- Further, the town has an expanded bus network wherein you will find a bus every five minutes.
- Moreover, some areas, including Hotel Zone or Boulevard Kukulcán, are explorable on foot.
Cancun Is a Beautiful Tropical Town
- In addition, Cancun also has a vast taxi network.
- You should note that while most of the eateries in the Hotel Zone provide purified water, stick to bottled water.
- Above all, pay attention to the color of beach flags; while green signifies safe waters for swimming, red and yellow depict caution and danger.
Tourist Destinations in Cancun
Tropical beach resorts, including Caracol and Chac-moo
Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá and El Rey Maya
Cancun underwater museum
Best Time to Visit Cancun
December to April is the best time to visit Cancun. It is because the weather is pleasant, and you can leverage cheaper flights and hotel tariffs.
Further, avoid traveling from June to October as these months witness heavy rainfall.
Is Bariatric Surgery Safe in Cancun, Mexico?
Bariatric surgery and its related counterparts, including Mini Gastric Surgery and others, are safe in Cancun, Mexico. You should note that World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has given a "Safe Travel" stamp to Mexico's national destinations.[43]
To add on, the country adheres to global health and hygiene standards. These facts aid in a safer trip to Mexico.
Other reasons include :
- No. of tourists in Mexico were a whopping 97 million in 2019.[44]
- To add on, out of the above, tourists coming specifically to Cancun amounted to 6 million.[45]
- Further, Mexico's quality of health care services is comparable to the States.
- Moreover, modern equipment is plentiful in major cities.[46]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Cancun provides a start-of-the-art healthcare system with trained and skilled surgeons.
Further, for citizens of the USA and Canada, it is relatively closer to the US and easy to reach. Besides, Cancun is a hub for breathtaking beaches and other tourist attractions.
In Mexico, the hospital and surgeon overhead costs are comparatively less than in the USA.
Consequently, salaries, administrative expenses, and medical supplies are inexpensive, making Mexico an affordable destination for weight loss surgery.
1. As per the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Hepatitis A/ Hepatitis B and Typhoid shots are recommended for all travelers.[47]
2. Further, drink only bottled or distilled water while in Mexico to reduce the risk of digestion problems.
3. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) develops a blood clot in one of the veins after surgery due to immobility for a long period. You should note that to minimize the risk of DVT :
- Firstly, cut down on smoking as soon as possible.
- Secondly, avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
- Further, drink much water to avoid dehydration.
- To add on, walk briskly for around 30 minutes for flight take-off.
- Also, book your flight ticket with an airline that provides good leg space.
- Moreover, consult your surgeon about any other essential measures to be taken.
Any typical weight loss costs between $2,000-$7,000 in Cancun, Mexico. This implies that you can expect to save up to 60%-80% on the cost compared to the US or Canada.
Medical tourists should expect to stay two days/nights in the hospital due to surgery. For instance, they will remain at the hotel the night before the medical procedure.
Further, it is advisable to wait for at least two weeks before flying back to your home country.
Final Verdict
Cancun offers a perfect blend of prime healthcare and affordability. Above all, by traveling to Cancun, Mexico, you can get rid of obesity-related problems and also save 50% to 80% on costs.
Plus, the city offers a breathtaking bonus vacation!
