Gastric Sleeve in Tijuana, Mexico
The Mexican hospitals have realized the potential in foreign markets, and the treatments and hospital standards for weight loss surgery in Tijuana are almost similar to that in the US. Moreover, most people end up saving almost 40-70 percent with the low cost of gastric sleeve in Mexico as compared to gastric sleeve in San Diego. Tijuana, being just across the border, is a popular destination for many gastric sleeve surgery seekers. Here’s what you need to know.

How much does Gastric Sleeve Cost in Tijuana, Mexico?
With the special packages in place, gastric sleeve surgery prices begin from $4,395 in Tijuana, Mexico, as opposed to $14,900 in the United States. The packages are inclusive of:
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For more details, please fill out the quote form on this page for a free estimate.
Success Stories
Mexico Bariatric Services has helped hundreds find success with vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Check out this review video in which one of our clients, Milissa, talks about her 92-lb weight loss journey:
What Steps are Involved in the Procedure?
This is a non-reversible surgery in which 85% of the stomach is removed, leaving behind a tube-like structure with much smaller capacity. The reduced size of the stomach greatly reduces the amount of food an individual can consume and gradually brings about the desired weight-loss.
- The first step involves determining if you are a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery.
- If you qualify for surgery, you will have to pick a suitable date and make travel arrangements for Tijuana (for which we could assist you completely).
- You will have to follow the liver shrinking pre-gastric sleeve diet for a few days to reduce the size of the liver in order to make it easy for the surgeons to carry out the procedure.
- Once you arrive in Tijuana, you will have to undergo a series of pre-operative tests prior to your surgery, including:
Pre-op Gastric Sleeve Tests Blood Levels & Blood Sugar Heart Function (electrocardiography or ECG) Kidney Function (electrolyte, urea, creatinine) Liver Function - After getting the doctor’s green signal, your surgery will begin.
- 3-5 tiny incisions will be made in the abdominal wall.

- Through these incisions, high precision surgical instruments called trocars will be inserted in the stomach cavity.
- After inspection, the blood vessels on the lateral side of the stomach will be divided.
- This will be followed by the insertion of a bougie (a measuring device that resembles a tube and acts as a guide for the surgeon to create a sleeve by creating a bulge) into the stomach.
- The surgeon will begin stapling the stomach from the pylorus; this will result in the division of the stomach.
- The excised bigger portion is almost 75-80% of the original stomach.
- This portion will then be decompressed and removed from one of the incisions.
- After removing the instruments, the incisions will be closed.
- Your new stapled, banana-shaped stomach will have a gastric volume of just a quarter of the original.
- A day after the surgery you will have to undergo the following tests to rule out leaks from the gastric sleeve and to establish the integrity of the sutures:
Post-op Gastric Sleeve Tests Barium Swallow Test Bubble Test Radiography High-Pressure Methylene Blue Leak Test (HPMB) - You will spend a couple of nights at the hospital and after an additional night in the hotel, you will be fit to fly out of Tijuana.
How Many Days Will it Take?
Surgery Duration | Nights in Hospital | Nights in Hotel | Back to Work |
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1-1.5 Hours | 2 Nights | 1-2 nights | 2 to 3 Weeks |
How to get there?
You can either directly fly down to Tijuana or to the San Diego International Airport and take the road to Tijuana. Mexico Bariatric Services provides free pick-up from the airport to all its VSG clients.

Avenida Revolucion in Tijuana – Mexico
Hotel Stay
Two-night FREE hotel stay depending on the hospital you choose for your surgery.
All MBS packages for Gastric Sleeve in Mexico have free hotel stays.
Border Crossing
If you’re looking for gastric sleeve in San Diego, you could consider gastric sleeve in Tijuana. You’ll save 70% of the cost and it’s not too far from San Diego either.
From the United States, you will have to cross the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego to enter Tijuana. The port of entry is open 24*7. For average wait times, click here.
Did you know?
San Ysidro is the busiest land border crossing in the world! At least 50 million people cross the border every year. Source: BBC

What to Expect from Sleeve Gastrectomy?
Patients who undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) can expect certain outcomes of the surgery, some of which are:
Average Excess Weight Loss (EWL) After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
According to Sepúlveda and colleagues1 (2017), the mean excess weight loss (%EWL) after gastric sleeve surgery was as follows:
1 year – 93.2% | 5 years – 70.6% |
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3 years – 80.7% | 7 years – 51.7% |

Disclaimer: Weight loss results may vary. We do not guarantee any specific results.
Change in Appetite
- According to Reza Hoda MA, et al2, gastric sleeve surgery involves resection of the stomach fundus. This is the principal area where ghrelin, the hormone that incites hunger, is produced.
- This results in weight loss which can be termed as “superior” when compared to the outcomes of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
Reduced Craving for Fatty Foods
- Many people who undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery claim to have reduced cravings for fatty foods.
- Because the stomach has a harder time digesting overly fatty foods after the surgery, patients tend to stop craving such foods.
- This, of course, is a good thing as eating less fat results in weight loss and a healthier body!
Improvement in Diabetes
- According to Eisenberg and colleagues3, morbidly obese diabetic patients show high rates of diabetes remission, post gastric sleeve surgery.
- Lap sleeve gastrectomy patients also show improvement in other diseases concomitant with obesity such as heart diseases, sleep apnea, and high cholesterol levels.
Coping with Hair Loss
Temporary hair loss is a common side effect of gastric sleeve and usually occurs 6 to 12 weeks through surgery. This happens due to decreased protein and calorie intake. Some things that can be done in this regard increase calorie intake to 1,000 and regularly take multi-vitamins.
Bariatric surgeries are known to cause telogen effluvium in which the hair roots go into a temporary resting state. Since there is no damage to the follicle, hair eventually grows back.
Gastric sleeve surgery is the most popular of bariatric surgeries. It has the potential of bringing about significant weight-loss and grant you a new, much healthier life.
Risks and Complications
Just like any other surgery, sleeve gastrectomy has its share of risks and complications, some of which are listed below:
Acid reflux/GERD | Risks related to anesthesia |
Chronic nausea | Obstruction in the stomach |
Vomiting | Problems with eating certain foods |
Dilated esophagus | Inadequate weight loss; weight regain |
Other Useful Links | |
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Gastric Sleeve in Cancun | Gastric Sleeve in Mexicali |
Gastric Sleeve Post-Op Diet | Real Mexico Gastric Sleeve Stories and Reviews |
*For the latest information on gastric sleeve Tijuana special packet, contact us now.
Apart from Gastric Sleeve, Mexico Bariatric Services also has the option of Gastric Bypass in Mexico, which is recommended to patients with existing acid reflux. Gastric Bypass in Tijuana is the best option for low-cost surgery.
References:
1. Matías Sepúlveda, Munir Alamo, Jorge Saba, Cristián Astorga, Raúl Lynch, Hernán Guzmán. Long-term weight loss in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy 2017. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2017 Jul 25. PII: S1550-7289(17)30343-X. doi: 10.1016/ j.soard.2017.07.017.
2. Langer FB, Reza Hoda MA. “Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Banding: Effects on Plasma Ghrelin.” Obesity Surgery. August 2005. https://dx.doi.org/10.1381/0960892054621125
3. Slater BJ, Bellatorre N, Eisenberg D. Early postoperative outcomes and medication cost savings after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Obesity. December 7, 2011