Bariatric Surgery in Espoo: Methods and Results

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.

Bariatric operations at the clinic are performed by experienced bariatric surgeons:

• 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.

Write to us and our coordinator will respond shortly and book you in for a consultation. The consultation with the bariatric surgeon is free.

Send a request

Surgery is prescribed only when clear criteria are met

• The patient's body mass index (BMI)
• Overall health and any related chronic conditions
• No success with earlier tries to slim down by usual means

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.

The two are often mistaken for each other, but their goals are fundamentally different. Bariatric surgery provides medical treatment for obesity and related diseases. Changing how the digestive tract works, it deals with the causes of excess weight and metabolism. Plastic surgery modifies the body's outer contours; it does not treat obesity or affect 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.

We rely on modern laparoscopic technique. The operation is performed through 4 small punctures of 5 to 15 mm. Cosmetic sutures are used, so after healing the marks are barely visible.

Recovery depends on what you plan to do. Office work: after 2–4 weeks. Physical work: after 1.5 months. Sport and activity: swimming after 30 days, other exercise phased in as weight drops. Travel and holidays: preferably not earlier than one 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.

After bariatric surgery pregnancy is possible, yet doctors recommend at least 12–18 months of waiting. Meanwhile the body stabilizes, weight arrives at target values and nutritional status normalizes.

Yes, after bariatric surgery vitamins are a must. The altered digestive anatomy reduces absorption of some nutrients, which makes regular vitamin and mineral supplements a permanent part of the patient's life.

Weight regain is possible after bariatric surgery but very unlikely provided you follow the doctor's advice. Eat properly, avoid high-calorie drinks and keep up regular follow-up with City Medical Centre specialists.