The ultimate guide to Sleeve Gastrectomy in Costa Rica

Last fact-checked: 17 August 2020

Seriously overweight? Sleeve gastrectomy in Costa Rica is one of the most common bariatric surgical procedures that helps patients lose weight quickly and safely. At the same time, it is much more affordable in Costa Rica where you can combine a holiday prior to your surgery, or recover from your procedure in a relaxing setting.

Check out Medical Departures’ background-checked clinics and book your surgery through our site to save thousands. 

Why Resort to Bariatric Surgery?

Obesity is a major world health problem and a contributing factor to a long list of health conditions and diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, respiratory problems, including asthma and sleep apnea and joint disorders. If diet and exercise are not working out, you are at risk of developing one or more of these problems, if you haven’t already. This is why it is necessary to reduce your weight—not to mention the lifestyle benefits you’ll see such as improved mobility, energy and self-confidence. 

Sleeve gastrectomy offers a relatively permanent solution to weight gain as it reduces the size of the stomach, leaving only a banana-shaped sleeve behind. This results in you feeling full and satisfied after eating only small portions of food; thus most patients tend to consume far fewer calories (unless you switch to an exclusive diet of soft drinks and deep-fried food).

Why Consider Sleeve Gastrectomy in Costa Rica?

If you don’t have medical insurance (or your medical insurance doesn’t cover weight loss procedures) and don’t want to waste time waiting for the surgery, Costa Rica offers an affordable alternative. The country is home to a growing number of excellent medical facilities, including JCI-accredited hospitals, as well as well-trained, qualified doctors who speak English. 

This Central American country is easily accessible from the U.S. and Canada and has two international airports to choose from, so you won’t squander too much of those savings on expensive, long-haul flight tickets. 

Costa Rica is also known for its abundance of exotic attractions including a vast green cover, high biodiversity, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, unique species of flora and fauna and is famous for its ecotourism. It is full of parks, forest reserves, mangrove forests, cloud forests and even private parks. You can see all kinds of wildlife here, both on the land and in the sea ranging from jaguars to humpback whales, from capuchins to tropical fishes and even birds and insects.

Where Can I Go for Surgery in Costa Rica?

A range of medical and tourist destinations now cater to international medical tourists. Most of the top facilities are conveniently located in the capital of San Jose or its neighboring suburb Escazu, close to many parks, reserves and volcanoes. 

As this is major surgery, it is best to get your leisure activities out of the way before the surgery. And, if you so desire, you can choose to recover at a surgery recovery retreat where you will be well attended to by medical personnel.

Why Book Through Medical Departures?

Medical Departures is a reputed site that takes care of medical tourists seeking all kinds of surgeries and treatments. The benefits of booking through our site include:

• Added safety thanks to our in-depth investigations into the experience, background and qualifications of the doctors listed on our site. 

• The knowledge of whether your surgeon is a member of or affiliated with a professional board, such as the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO).

• The confidence that’ll you’ll be treated at a verified clinic or hospital that is accredited to a standard international organization. 

• Our Best Price Guarantee: if you see a price online for the same treatment at the same clinic or hospital, we’ll match it.

• 24/7 assistance from our Customer Care Team to help with any aspect of your trip. 

Discover more about the types of bariatric surgery available in Costa Rica here. 

How Long Does Sleeve Gastrectomy Take and What's Downtime?

Unless you have a certain medical reason that would require you to have open surgery, sleeve gastrectomy is performed using just a few small incisions, so the recovery time is quicker than with other invasive bariatric surgeries. Using a keyhole technique, the stomach is cut and a large part removed, leaving a vertical sleeve. This is sealed with sutures or staples. 

The surgery can take between one and three hours. For around two weeks before the surgery, you will be asked to follow medical advice regarding your diet in order to mitigate the chance of complications.

After the surgery, you will spend at least one more day in hospital; full recovery can take at least four to six weeks. You will be on fluids initially administered through an IV drip and then orally (for the first week only clear liquids are advised). Specific vitamins and supplements are also prescribed. Gradually, you will be moved onto soft foods and you can expect to start solid foods in week five. Initially, you will lose weight fast before the drop tapers off. 

You can expect to lose around 60 to 80 percent of the extra weight (i.e. the weight you want to lose) over the following two years.

What Is the Cost of Sleeve Gastrectomy in Costa Rica?

In the U.S. this surgery is quite expensive and you can expect to spend around US$17,000 (CAD22,556, £13,424, €15,390, AUD22,000, NZD23,268). You will pay a fraction of this price in Costa Rica, with most of our clients saving between 50% to 70%. 

[Please note: these prices are approximate estimates based on international data, calculated at the time of writing.]

How Do I Book?

See below for easy ways to contact us. You can also connect with a member our Customer Care to learn more about sleeve gastrectomy in Costa Rica and how you can save thousands. We look forward to hearing from you soon! 

Sources:

What Is Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery? WebMD. 25 December 2018. https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/what-is-gastric-sleeve-weight-loss-surgery#1" target="_blank

Vitamin and mineral supplements after weight loss surgery. NHS. PDF accessed: 12 February 2019. https://www.sth.nhs.uk/clientfiles/File/PIL1716%20vitamins%20and%20minerals.pdf" target="_blank

Statistics About Diabetes. American Diabetes Association. 2016. https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/statistics-about-diabetes" target="_blank

International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). Website accessed: 12 February 2019. https://www.ifso.com/about-ifso/" target="_blank

Costa Rica. UNESCO. 2019.  http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/cr" target="_blank