Bariatric Operations in Sapporo: 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.

Experienced bariatric surgeons carry out 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.

Send us a message — our coordinator will get back to you shortly and set up 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 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.

It is common to confuse them, but their goals are fundamentally different. Bariatric surgery treats obesity and related diseases medically. By changing how the digestive tract works, it addresses the causes of excess weight and metabolism. Plastic surgery shapes the body's outer contours; it does not treat obesity and has no effect on 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 work with modern laparoscopic technique. The operation needs only 4 small punctures, 5 to 15 mm each. Cosmetic sutures are applied, so healed marks are almost invisible.

Recovery depends on your activity. Office work: after 2–4 weeks. Physical work: after 1.5 months. Sport and activity: swimming allowed after 30 days, other exercise added step by step as weight drops. Travel and holidays: plan them no earlier than 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.

Pregnancy is possible after bariatric surgery; doctors advise waiting no less than 12–18 months. This gives the body time to stabilize, for weight to reach target values and nutritional status to normalize.

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 can come back after bariatric surgery, but this is very unlikely if you follow your doctor's advice. Proper nutrition, skipping high-calorie drinks and regular follow-up with City Medical Centre specialists are key.