Obesity Surgery in Bristol: Bariatric Methods

Yes, bariatric surgery is the medical term for it. At City Medical Centre the main methods are sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve) and gastric bypass; the surgeon chooses the method by your BMI and health.

Usually a BMI over 40, or over 35 with related health conditions. The surgeon confirms whether surgery suits you at the consultation.

Experienced bariatric surgeons perform the bariatric operations at the clinic:

• Ruslan S. Menzulin — bariatric surgeon and surgical oncologist, 9 years of experience. Trained at Mercy clinic (USA) under Vadim Gushchin, spoke at the World Congress of bariatric surgery in Santiago (2025). Co-author of an international study published in The Lancet.
• Andrey G. Ugay — lead bariatric surgeon, 27 years of experience. Has performed the largest number of SASJ operations in the country. Expert council member of the national Society of Bariatric Surgeons.

Message us — our coordinator will be in touch shortly to arrange your consultation. There is no charge for the bariatric surgeon consultation.

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Surgery is prescribed only when clear criteria are met

• The patient's body mass index (BMI)
• Overall health and any related chronic conditions
• Past attempts to shed weight in conventional ways were unsuccessful

BMI is the primary tool for judging obesity. The formula: body weight (kg) divided by height squared (m²). Surgery is typically justified at a BMI above 40, or above 35 if there are serious related conditions. At times surgery is also considered with lower figures — provided non-surgical treatment has failed.

Though often confused, the two have fundamentally different goals. Bariatric surgery is a medical treatment of obesity and related illnesses; it changes the functioning of the digestive tract to address the causes of excess weight and metabolism. Plastic surgery reshapes the outer contours of the body and neither treats obesity nor affects metabolism.

City Medical Centre provides four main types of bariatric surgery: sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass (MGB) and SADI-S duodeno-ileal bypass. We choose each method individually by BMI, related conditions and the patient's goals.

Using modern laparoscopic technique, we perform the operation via 4 small punctures of 5 to 15 mm. Cosmetic sutures are placed, leaving marks that are nearly invisible after healing.

Recovery varies with your activities. Office work: after 2–4 weeks. Physical work: after 1.5 months. Sport and activity: swimming is permitted after 30 days; other exercise is added gradually as weight decreases. Travel and holidays: best scheduled at least a month after surgery.

Stage by stage, you move from liquid food to soft and then solid. Priority goes to protein, and high-calorie, fatty food is limited.

It is possible to get pregnant after bariatric surgery, but doctors recommend a minimum wait of 12–18 months. During it the body stabilizes, weight reaches its target and nutritional status is normalized.

Yes, after bariatric surgery vitamins cannot be skipped. As the digestive anatomy changes, some nutrients are absorbed less well, making regular vitamin and mineral supplements a permanent feature of the patient's life.

Although weight regain after bariatric surgery is possible, it is very unlikely if you follow the doctor's advice. Proper eating, avoiding high-calorie drinks and regular follow-up with City Medical Centre specialists are key.