Bariatric Surgery in Costa Rica

Bariatric surgery is intended for people with morbid obesity, who are 100 pounds or more overweight (with a Body Mass Index of 40 or greater) and who have not had success with other, less risky weight loss therapies such as diet, exercise, medications, etc.

In some cases, a person with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or greater and one or more co-morbid condition may be considered for bariatric surgery.

Other qualifying factors may include:

• History of documented dietary weight loss attempts.
• Lifelong commitment to dietary, exercise, and medical guidelines and follow-up care.
• Psychological evaluation.

Bariatric surgery should not be considered until you and a doctor have looked at all other options. The best approach to bariatric surgery calls for discussion of the following with your doctor:

1. Bariatric surgery is not cosmetic surgery and should not be thought of in any way as cosmetic surgery.
2. Bariatric surgery does not involve the removal of adipose tissue (fat) by suction or surgical removal.
3. The patient and doctor should discuss the benefits and risks together.
4. The patient must commit to long-term lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, which are key to the success of bariatric surgery.
5. Problems after surgery may require more operations to correct them.