Pacific Bariatric

By: Jim Scherrer

Puerto Vallarta, the small sleepy Mexican fishing village which is no longer sleepy or little hotel is located at the same latitude as Maui, Hawaii. Being at this latitude, the same experiences Vallarta perfect like Maui daily temperatures from November to May averaged approximately 73 ° F. However Vallarta is much more welcoming place for vacation or retirement during these months, because he feels an average monthly rainfall of less than 0.4 inches, while Maui receives anywhere from 1.7 to 2.6 centimeters rain per month depending on your location on the island. In addition, Vallarta is located two and four hours short of most cities of the United States while Maui is six to ten hours from most U.S. cities on the continent.

Now we know that Vallarta is located south of the border, we ask you, what a paradise in the foothills of the Sierra Madres to the Pacific Ocean have to do with the Fountain of Youth? Well, it turns out that thousands of North Americans who visit each year Vallarta come pale, wrinkled, obese, and / or dental problems and go home a week or two later, looking tan, more younger, thinner, and / or clean white and straight teeth!

One might attribute these miraculous conversions during these short vacation or to visit the fountain of youth or if this explanation is not acceptable in various modern medical procedures!

Puerto Vallarta is home to three major new fully equipped modern hospitals and a fourth under construction and many dental high technology and modern Ameri-Med clinic. Puerto Vallarta is also proud to be the home of some very competent, highly qualified and experienced gastroenterologists, surgeons, bariatric, internists, surgeons, cosmetic and reconstructive dentists, etc., many of which have received a partial training in the U.S. and nearly all are fluent in English.

It is known that for many years, North Americans have headed south of the border for various cosmetic procedures. Not only are they able to have procedures done and fully relax in the anonymity, but they do so at a fraction of the cost of having done in the States. Today, there are many excellent plastic surgeons performing Vallarta liposculpture, facelift, eyelid surgery, nose surgery, breast implants, abdominoplasty, and about 40 other cosmetic and reconstructive procedures on a daily basis.

What is less known is that various bariatric procedures are performed laparoscopically on a daily basis in Vallarta. These procedures include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gastric sleeve resection and gastric adjustable "turn" of bands. A talented local surgeons performed more than 1,000 of these procedures, about 40% round, 40% of the sleeves, and bands around 20%. (By the way of interest, the surgeon, with the help of another of those talented internist, recently removed by laparoscopy ruptured appendix from the author!)

The cost of laparoscopic bariatric surgeries vary slightly from one another but are on average about two thirds of what they would in the States. A "package" would be about U.S. $ 10,000 and should include all hospital costs and doctor as well as flight and accommodation in a resort hotel fine. Yes, that's true basically a free vacation in paradise, more world class medical care for less than the return to the house where the cost of all your friends and neighbors can ask questions and watch you back!

For those of you not familiar with laparoscopy, you may know someone who has had his gall bladder removed, had an appendectomy or laparoscopic hernia repair and has been around in one day and couple.