Bariatric Operations in Phoenix: Who They Suit

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.

The bariatric operations at our clinic are done 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.

Get in touch by message: our coordinator will reply shortly and book your consultation. The bariatric surgeon consultation is free.

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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 serves as the chief indicator of obesity severity. Divide body weight (kg) by height squared (m²) to calculate it. Surgery is normally justified at BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious accompanying conditions. In selected cases it is considered at lower values as well — if non-surgical methods did not help.

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 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.

Modern laparoscopic technique allows the operation through 4 small punctures of 5 to 15 mm. Cosmetic sutures make the marks almost invisible when fully healed.

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, 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.

Regain after bariatric surgery is possible, but very unlikely if you follow the doctor's advice. Proper nutrition, no high-calorie drinks and regular follow-up visits with City Medical Centre specialists make the difference.

Sleeve gastrectomy is advised for obesity without marked reflux and costs from $3,600. Gastric bypass reduces the stomach volume and reroutes food, and is advised for obesity, diabetes or reflux, from $4,000. Both are done under general anaesthesia with 1–5 days in hospital. The surgeon confirms the method at the free consultation.