Tijuane vs. Monterrey, Help!

Lot's of good surgeons in Mexico

Since mine hasn't been mentioned yet ;)

Dr. Arturo Rodriguez in Monterrey is wonderful as well :) :)

Good luck in your decision.

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Dr. Arturo Rodriguez
Monterrey, Mexico
Banded (J&J) 7/26/2004
-138 pounds

Lap-BandInfo.com

Dr. Rodriguez' Blog

Look at http://www.lapbandinmexico.com/ That site has tips for picking a Mexican doctor. Also has a link to IFSO (Int'l Federation for the Surgery of Obesity). While word of mouth info is okay, you should do much deeper checking in to the background of these doctors.
Kat ;)

Check out Dr. Ortiz in TJ.

I just finished this rant on another thread, so will repost it here with one added paragraph.

Once a surgeon has placed a few hundred bands, he is as good as he is going to get - tho good doctors keep going to training sessions and learning new techniques and modifications to keep their slippage rate down. Once a doctor has been banding for at least 3 years, he will have encountered his share of problems with fills, slips, and erosions, and will hopefully have gained skill in handling them.

What is MORE IMPORTANT after those early years is the QUALITY of CARE when dealing with complications -AND- how easy it will be to get back to see him.

I agree that there are many EXCELLENT surgeons in Mexico, but when it comes to planning your aftercare, you MUST figure in how much income you have that can go towards getting your fills and fluoros, and having ready access to a lap band surgeon after banding.

You should ALWAYS locate a State-Side doctor before you are banded who will agree to help with your after care --- and ask about charges. An initial office visit, fill and fluor can range from $150 to over $500, so go over ALL possible charges.

But back to selecting your Mexican physician. If you have slippage or erosion, these are both things that must be taken care of PRONTO -- and both may involve repeated surgeries, to remove and then replace the band. You need to be able to get a QUICK flight, good connections, and a SHORT DRIVE to the Monterrey or Tijuana doctors.

Tijuana is MUCH cheaper for people to get to from just about anywhere in the US. And when you can't keep anything down or have bloody vomit, you won't be able to get those "early purchase" specials but will be paying top dollar for the flight (but will be saving BIG TIME on the procedures, hospitalization and aftercare). These are ALL things that you MUST consider.

What I most dislike about SOME patient coordinators and SOME doctors is how they pressure you to make a quick decision and schedule surgery as soon as possible ----- you must NEVER EVER let the idea of a "quick decision special rate" or some such promotion guide your decision. Believe me, if you want a special deal, contacting the DOCTOR personally first and bypassing the website companies is the best way to negotiate a price.... and they ALL want your business and will "extend" that special for you.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. I think I am going to create a website telling people what can happen, about the patient coordinator horror stories out there, and how "charming bed side manner" is a WORTHLESS indicator of surgical skill or morals or integrity or follow-up or employee oversight.

On a rant based on MY OWN experiences. My doctor is from Mexico, but not Kuri & not Rumbaut --- and he does not practice in either Tijuana or Monterrey.

Theresa

Hi Kasey, the cost of surgery in Tijuana are around $6 900.00 dls for the J&J band and $ 7500.00 dls for the Inamed. If you leave close to Tijuana I recommend you use the J&J and get your fill here in Tijuana the Inamed since is certified in the US is recommended for US residents that are not willing to come back to Tijuana for the Fills. And any bariatric Dr. in you city could do the fill.

Dr. Sanchez preformed my lap band procedure. I can not say enough wonderful things about him, his staff, or the hospital staff. I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

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ShadyLady:)

Your statement was unclear, to say the least... And I will say this - NONE of us knows WHERE we will be living in 5 years. The band is a life-time appliance and you HAVE to consider the long term consequences of appliance brand.

If you have surgery with an un-approved band, even should you eventually get insurance to cover fills, it will not cover fills in un-approved devices. And IF J&J eventually get a band approved in the States, it is quite likely to not be the same model -- just don't chance it.

Theresa

Exactly, Theresa.
I really caution those who get this particular method of Weight Loss Surgery to make sure they are confident of having aftercare no matter where they live. It sounds like a small thing but it is not. In some areas like California and Texas you might have a better chance of finding doctors with familiarity with the Mexican bands. I know one patient who moved from Southern California to an area in the Midwest part of the US and was quite surprised to discover most of the Lap Band surgeons there weren't familiar with Mexican banding techniques and products.

Consider the fact that in 5 years things can change quite a bit in LapBanding. Yes the Johnson&Johnson band is in trials now, and of course it will probably be approved. But that doesn't mean it will be the same band 1, 3, or 5 years from now.

I realized when I got the Lap Band in the original FDA Trial that there might have been some improvements but consider this:
Since I was banded almost exactly 5 years ago. These changes have happened:

• The port area has now been changed (was in the side abdominal/lower hip area but now is usually in the front abdominal/chest area)
• Improved the tubing to minimize leaks
• Changed the placement (I have the old 'perigastric' placement but now most surgeons use the preferred 'pars flaccida' technique to reduce slippage, dilation, and possibly erosion.
• Changed from the original access port to the newer low-profile ports

So basically - five years is a long time in technology terms. Owning a 2001 car may be a lot different from owning a 2006 car. So I tell those who are so hard on those of us who got the Lap Band earlier - to consider that the technology and techniques have very much improved since the early days and that those early methods may have affected how effective the LapBands were for the early-adapters who got it.

I've suffered just about every complication that early LapBanders experience not just due to bad luck but simply because I've had it longer - and many other longer term LapBanders have experienced similar things. So when one is considering travelling thousands of miles for a procedure make sure you have a clearly mapped out after care plan.

Happy Band Journeys to all...

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DR DE LA GARZA IS also great, got banded 6 weeks ago the hospital is super clean, comfy and modern and the whole procedure was 7500 USD Ccheck it out, any questions you can email me, ok Tania

How about Dr. Zorrilla in Monterey. I've heard he is great that came from someone associated with a surgeon out of TJ (not Dr.Ortiz since they are in the same Surgical Team and would obviously recommend the other is you were not going to go to them) Does anyone have any info on him???
Thanks
April

Just spoke to a very reliable source and incision site infections are at a higher percent in TJ than Monterrey. In TJ it is more like small individual clinics and Monterrey like a small hospital setting. Dr. Zorilla is $8300 and very well know for lap-bands and especially gastric bypasses. I still plan to chance TJ and go to Banajor. I think I'll pick up some betadine and shower with it the night before my surgery and then again when I sponge bathe/shower. I'll take my own precautions!
Good luck to everyone!
April

Hi Cheryl:

I went to Rumbaut in Mexico as a self-pay and had a wonderful experience. His staff and the staff at the hospital were all wonderful. It was actually the best hospitalization experience I've ever had (been in the hospital two other times giving birth.)

But, I've heard good things about both Kuri and Sanchez as well. I think Rumbaut is now the most experienced, but I'm not 100% sure. Rumbaut has great bedside manner.... visits you at your hotel... totally available to you. Also, he has a band...so understands the whole banding thing.

If I were you, I'd check out flight prices to both TJ and Monterrey. Why?? Because if you're planning to return for fills, you're going to need to factor that into the equation. TJ was too far for me being an East Coaster, but getting to Monterrey is a pain as well. And usually runs around $600 for me. Dr. Rumbaut does not charge for fills except for $100 if you need fluoro. Still, the cost (and time factor) of getting to MOnterrey has meant that I've had to try out numerous US docs for fills. Some charging me nothing more than my co-pay, others charging close to $650. I'll also say that even though every one of my fill docs used fluoroscopy--not every one of the fills stuck. Technique does matter. From what I remember, the radiologist needs to push down a bit on the needle before removing... but i'm not 100% sure of the technique.

Given that, you may want to consider a US doc who includes fills in his price and perhaps has a discount for self-pays. (And is easily accessible to you.)

Peace,
Karla

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Banded 6/01 Dr. Rumbaut Mexico.
Lost 95 pounds prior to pregnancy w/Band. Delivered of two healthy boys and one healthy girl (unfilled for all three pregnancies).
Thinking about a revision...either VSG or DS.

Just wanted to add that my band was the standard Inamed band... the same band that was approved in the US a week after I was banded. My port was a sternal placement--which is easier to access, but more noticable once you lose a lot of weight.

As for J&J Band vs. Inamed, remember that J&J bought ObTech...so they've basically revamped the old Swedish Band that was the first on the market. That band used to be filled using a different substance, but I'm not sure what the new J&J Band is using for fills. I'd go for the Inamed as it's been proven longer... and it will be easier to find a doc familiar with filling it.

However, once the J&J Band is approved, I'm sure they'll use all of their Ethicon-Endo reps to push surgeons to change. AFter all, Ethicon-Endo makes a majority of the laproscopic equipment in use today... as well as Ethicon making all of the sutures, etc. If they're smart, surgical technique and follow-up should be similar to facilitate an easy learning-curve for the surgeons.

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Banded 6/01 Dr. Rumbaut Mexico.
Lost 95 pounds prior to pregnancy w/Band. Delivered of two healthy boys and one healthy girl (unfilled for all three pregnancies).
Thinking about a revision...either VSG or DS.

:clap2: MY DAUGHTER HAD THE LAP BAND SURGERY ON FEB. 9 WITH DR. SANCHEZ IN MONTERREY, IT WAS AWESOME AND YOU COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR ANY BETTER HELP, CARE OR HOSPITAL. DR. SANCHEZ WAS EVEN AT THE GUEST HOUSE THE MORNING WE LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT AND A GREAT PERSON. I WAS WORRIED WHEN MY DAUGHTER STARTED CKING INTO THE SURGERY -- BUT I CAN TELL YOU NOW - WE WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED ANYTHING -- IT WAS A GREAT WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. OUR HOSPITALS IN THE STATES COULD LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM THEM....
HIGHLY RECOMMEND DR. SANCHEZ.

MY DAUGHTER JUST HAD THE SURGERY ON FEB. 9 WITH DR. SANCHEZ IN MONTERREY, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THE GUEST HOUSE WAS WONDERFUL. WE WERE TAKEN CARE OF FROM THE TIME OUR PLANE LANDED UNTIL THEY PUT US BACK ON THE PLANE TO THE STATES. THE HOSPITAL WAS VERY MODERN AND SPOTLESS -- OUR HOSPITALS COULD LEARN FROM THEM. BUT DR. SANCHEZ WAS WONDERFUL AS HIS WHOLE STAFF. 5 STAR!!