Dr. Huacuz in Tijuana-Beware! He banded an esophagus!

Hi. I'm not a patient, but the very close friend of a patient named Laura that went to Dr. Daniel Huacuz for LAP-BAND® on Feb 5, 2010. She went thru an agency called "World Med Assist" to find him. They said he came highly recommended and after going to his site, we felt confident that all would be well.

Not wanting for her to go alone to get it done, she and I traveled together from Houston, TX to San Diego on Feb 4 and was picked up by Victor (the driver) at noon on Feb 5. After arriving to the clinic, they started her IV and did some preliminary tests and took her in for surgery at around 6pm. It was a short surgery..within an hour they came to tell me that she was in recovery. I remember thinking to myself...wow, that was quick! That first night was pretty rough for her. She was extremely nauseated and in alot of pain. The following day she didn't feel any better but was taken (along with two other patients) to another clinic for a flouroscopy and fill. At that time, Dr. Huacuz placed 1cc in her band. It was all downhill from there.

After getting a massive shot for pain, we flew back to Houston that Sunday with big dreams of her finally being able to lose the weight that she's wanted to lose for so long. Now, here we are 12 days later...never in a million years did I think we would be experiencing what we are going through right now. Since we returned back to Texas, Laura has been in a lot of pain. I have watched her like a hawk and made sure she followed all of the dietary rules that he set forth for her. That really hasn't even been an issue because everytime she drinks anything it HURTS too bad....

Yesterday, Laura finally couldn't take it anymore and went to the doctor here. He took X-rays, did another flouroscopy on her and did all sorts of blood work. The result: we found out that Dr. Huacuz placed the LAP-BAND® around her esophagus ...not several inches down as to create a small stomach like there is supposed to be with LAP-BAND® placement. Basically, Dr. Huacuz restricted her esophagus so that she couldn't get hardly anything into her stomach. She is in so much pain because anything that she eats or drink backs up in her esophagus until it drains down into her stomach.

We asked the Dr here why on earth Dr. Huacuz would have done that...simply put, he said "Because it is easier". Trust me, the Dr. here wasn't trying to bad mouth Mexican physicians or make Laura feel bad for going to Mexico where it was cheaper. He didn't have to...the proof of what Dr. Huacuz did to her was right there on the X-ray film.

Anyway, the doctor here in Houston said she had two choices to fix it: 1. to drain it and have surgery as soon as possible to place it correctly. 2. to drain it, be on liquids for 8 weeks and see if it would drop down to where it might form the small stomach. He said she needed to get in touch with Dr Huacuz immediately to ask if he actually stiched it into place. If he did stitch it into place, then there was no hope of it dropping down and she would have to have surgery to place it in the correct position asap. Last night, Laura finally got in touch with Dr. Huacuz and she flat out asked him if he banded her esophagus to which he answered "Yes". He wouldn't provide her with a reason, but he did give her the courtesy of telling her that it wouldn't drop into place on it's own because he had stitched it into place. He also told her to take anti-nausea medicine because if she throws-up, that it could be "very bad"....Wtf....yes, it could be "very bad" you moron...Her esophagus could tear and she could DIE!!!

Needless to say, Laura is heartbroken and scared to death! She is back at the Dr. here in Houston this am getting it drained. She is scheduled for surgery to reposition it on Friday, Feb 26....

In my opinion, I would NEVER, EVER go to Dr. Huacuz for LAP-BAND® or any other surgery. She paid $5200.00 to Dr. Huacuz and by not doing the procedure he was slated to perform, he put her life at risk. I just know that if he did this to her, that he is doing it to other people...and he shouldn't be able to get away with it. Not only does it put people's lives at risk but he is stealing people's dreams from them. I'm sure that like Laura, there are other people that go to Mexico out of desperation.

If you have any questions about anything I have said, please feel free to contact me.  I hope by posting this on every forum that I can find, it will save someone else the heartache, the pain and suffering and maybe their life!
 

OMG... That's horrible....I hope your friend is feeling better.  I'll be praying for her... Do you know what hospital he works in or who his partners are?  I'm going to have the vertical sleeve in Tijuana, hopefully by Dr. Almanzar.  All I've been thinking is, is the hospital a good one?  I was told it would be at Jerusalem Hospital.  Is that where your friend went?

Well, we won't know until this Friday, Feb 26 how it will all turn out.  Dr. Huacuz has his own clinic in Tijuana.  He calls it a hospital but to me it was more clinic-like.  It is called Huacuz Surgical Center. It's right across the street (on the side) from the Camino Real hotel.

I don't know of Dr. Almanzar, but I will say to make sure you do your research.  As crazy as it sounds, I would say to research your doc over possibly a two month period or so.  I know that Laura googled Dr. Huacuz but really didn't find anything that was alarming.   Now, a couple of months later we google the same way and all of these horror stories come up.  Possibly thru internet marketing  techniques he has things removed or he has his good stories moved up in the search listings...

Dr. Huacuz (and his staff) are very charming and hospitable so they give you a false sense of security.  Once she did some intenet searches and talked to them on the phone she thought he was the right choice.  Apparently that was not the case. 

Regardless, I wish you the best of luck.  I do believe that there are good Mexican doctors out there who are really in it to help people not just do both-jobs to make a quick buck.  Really, it's just a matter of finding the right ones.

Mrios, Go to MidwesternGirl blog.  She's a nurse and very sensible.  Really, she's been on here for a few years and has done a ton of research and tells it like it is.  She has a really good piece on there called "How to Research a Mexican Surgeon".  Do all of what she suggests.

There is someone on the failed surgical boards now saying that Almanza Reyes provided her absolutely no follow up including no nutritional counselling so she has not lost nearly what she wanted to.  She didn't know what to eat!!  Check it ou!!!  Be careful!!

I am presently at Dr. almanza's recovery house after a sleeve on Feb 18. We have been given four pages of post op instructions.

We have not been left without knowing what to do. So sorry your friend didn't get or keep her instructions. I will be happy to email her a post op list i got from my coordinator,if she would like it.





good luck to her,my experience has been excellent.
Holly

While Midwesterngirl has some good advice on her profile,please take everything else she says with a big grain of salt.
Holly

I am a current patient of DR. Almanza's and my surgery,recovery and care have been excellent.

I highly recommend him. I am doing great,going home tomorrow.

I will soon be posting a comprehensive post on my blog including pics!
H

I am presently a patient of Dr. Almanza's in Mexico. I was telling Andreas Bettencourt the President of the business about your friend and asking about Dr. Huacuz and he does indeed know him.

Dr. Bettancourt wants to have Dr. Almanza fix her lap band correctly for free.

Would you get this message to her and ask her to call Melissa at 1-866-310-4625 to find out details and make arrangements?

Good luck to her and please keep us posted.She is lucky to have you!
Holly

Way to go the extra mile for her!
Hope your recovery is smoooooothe

Isn't Dr. Betancourt awesome?  Such a genuine human being.  It was great to have him around during the whole process!