Weight Loss Surgery in Sarajevo

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.

Write to us and our coordinator will respond shortly and book you in for a consultation. The consultation with the bariatric surgeon 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
• Unsuccessful past attempts at weight loss by traditional means

The main way to assess the degree of obesity is BMI. It is body weight (kg) divided by height squared (m²). Generally, surgery is justified with BMI above 40, or above 35 combined with serious related conditions. Lower values may sometimes be considered for surgery too, when non-surgical measures have failed.

Many people confuse them, but the goals are fundamentally different. Bariatric surgery is a medical way to treat obesity and related diseases. It changes how the digestive tract works, getting at the causes of excess weight and metabolism. Plastic surgery only reshapes the body's outer contours; it does not treat obesity or affect metabolism.

Four main bariatric surgery types are available at City Medical Centre: sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass (MGB) and SADI-S duodeno-ileal bypass. The method is picked individually, considering 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.

How soon you recover depends on what you do. Office work: 2–4 weeks later. Physical work: 1.5 months later. Sport and activity: swimming from day 30, other exercise brought in gradually as weight falls. Travel and holidays: ideally not sooner 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 an option after bariatric surgery, but doctors advise waiting at least 12–18 months. By then the body has stabilized, weight has reached target values and nutritional status has 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.

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.