Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery in Essen

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.

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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
• Standard approaches to weight loss have not worked before

Obesity is graded mainly by BMI, calculated as body weight (kg) over height squared (m²). A BMI above 40 usually justifies surgery, as does a BMI above 35 with serious related conditions. In certain cases surgery is considered at lower values too, if approaches without surgery have not succeeded.

Many mix them up, but they pursue fundamentally different goals. Bariatric surgery medically treats obesity and related diseases by changing how the digestive tract functions, addressing the causes of excess weight and metabolism. Plastic surgery reshapes the external contours of the body; it does not treat obesity or influence metabolism.

City Medical Centre performs four main types of bariatric surgery: sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass (MGB) and SADI-S duodeno-ileal bypass. Each method is chosen individually based on BMI, related conditions and the patient's goals.

The operation uses modern laparoscopic technique, through 4 small punctures of 5 to 15 mm. We place cosmetic sutures, and after healing the marks become almost invisible.

Your recovery depends on your activities. Office work: in 2–4 weeks. Physical work: in 1.5 months. Sport and activity: swimming after 30 days, with other exercise introduced gradually as weight drops. Travel and holidays: plan them a month or more after surgery.

Your diet changes step by step: from liquid food to soft and then to solid. The emphasis is on protein and on cutting high-calorie, fatty food.

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, taking vitamins after bariatric surgery is mandatory. Because digestion is anatomically altered, the body absorbs some nutrients poorly, so regular vitamin and mineral supplements stay in the patient's life permanently.

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.