new member with some questions

Here is the informational letter I received from Dr. Aceves office.  It kinda explains it: VERTICAL SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY/GASTRIC SLEEVE Alberto Aceves, MD, FACS www.MexicoLapBand.com Summer Promotion!!  $9500 Total Package My name is Renee Kohlpath and I am happy to be your patient facilitator throughout your Weight Loss Journey.  I am available to you before and after surgery to answer all your questions.  My phone number is:  602 331 9949.  I am a patient of Dr. Aceves, he did my own surgery 18 months ago and I have gone on to lose over 100 pounds and I have met my goal.  The following is information on the Gastric Sleeve and Dr. Aceves as you have requested. Gastric Sleeve: The Gastric Sleeve is a great option in your choices of Weight Loss Surgery.  The complications and risks with the Gastric Sleeve are actually lower than those of Gastric Bypass and Lap Bands.  The surgery consists of making your stomach smaller, but intact.  It is a restrictive procedure that limits the quantity of food you may eat at any given time.  The portion of your stomach that is removed produces a hormone called Grehlin.  Ghrelin is what tells your brain that you are hungry.  Without this hormone patients report that they experience very little, if any, hunger.  This helps a great deal during the weight loss journey.  At the end of surgery your stomach will look like a tube that is the size and shape of a banana.  This procedure is the first step of Gastric Bypass but there is no intestinal rerouting so there is no malabsorption.  This procedure is becoming more and more popular throughout the world today. Advantages of the Gastric Sleeve: - Minimal risk surgery - Fast recovery time due to the procedure being done via by laparoscopy (key hole surgery, 1 - 2 weeks - same as the Lap Band) - The size of the sleeve is set according the needs of each individual patient during surgery - No surgical removal of the intestine or bypassing of intestine and that means no malabsorption, you absorb all the nutrients that you consume - Expected weight loss is 80% of excess body weight or more, more than the Lap Band - Weight loss that is a safe rate of 2-3 pounds weekly - Virtually no aftercare is needed as with Lap Bands and Gastric Bypass, no fills/unfills/restriction issues, slips, or erosion - Fewest long term complications of Lap Bands, Gastric Sleeve, and Gastric Bypass - This is a permanent procedure Disadvantages of the Gastric Sleeve: - Potential of a leak immediately after surgery (Less than 1%, Dr. Aceves has never had a leak with a Gastric Sleeve) - Patient non compliance - Slower weight loss than Gastric Bypass but faster than the Lap Band System - Potential of a stricture in the future (less than 1%) Total Fees -- $9500 Your surgery package is a summer promotion for the Gastric Sleeve procedure, this fee is for a limited time so please let us know quickly if you would like to schedule your surgery.  This fee includes: - Transportation to and from the San Diego Airport by a professional driver, - All pre op testing such as blood work, EKG, Chest Xray, and Urinalysis - Post Op leak tests (one during surgery, two following surgery) - All MD fees including the surgeon, Internal Medicine Doctor, Asst. Surgeon, and Anesthesiologist - All surgery fees and hospitalization for three nights following your surgery - All medications including pain medication for you to take home - One night in the Lucerna Hotel the evening BEFORE surgery for you and your guest - Accommodations for your guest so they may stay with you in the hospital - All your labs, Xrays, and EKG for you to take home to your Primary Care Physician About Dr. Aceves: Dr. Aceves is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (see www.facs.org).  This means that he must meet US hospital and surgical standards to maintain his fellowship.  He is the Vice President of the Mexican Society for Obesity Surgery, the next term he will be President.  He is member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (see www.IFSO.com), Mexican Assn. of Endoscopic Surgery, Mexican Assn. of General Surgery, and the General Surgeons College of Mexicali.  He is active in the field of Bariatrics throughout the world and travels while training other physicians in various Bariatric surgical techniques. Dr. Aceves has done over 2000 Lap Bands, over 250 Gastric Sleeve procedures, and over 400 Gastric Bypass procedures.  He has never had to convert to a full open incision from a laparoscopy procedure. Dr. Aceves' statistics: Infection:  Global infection stats are less than 1%.  Dr. Aceves' stats are 0%, he has never had an infection with a Gastric Sleeve. Leaks:  Global stats are less than 1%.  Dr. Aceves' stats are 0%, he has never had a leak with a Gastric Sleeve and is the only popular surgeon in Mexico with no leaks. Gastric Sleeves performed: Dr. Aceves is in the upper 1% for Mexican surgeons, he has done over 250 Gastric Sleeve procedures. Hospital or Clinic: Dr. Aceves practices out of an actual hospital and not a clinic!  Many in Mexico refer to their clinics as hospitals and they are not hospitals.  Dr. Aceves practices out of Almater Hospital in Mexicali, Mexico.  Here is a link to the hospital: Hospital Almater - Cuidamos lo más importante para usted: Su salud Almater Hospital is a beautiful hospital with a fully equipped Emergency Department, four Operating Rooms, a fully staffed Recovery Room, a fully equipped Radiology Department with the latest advanced Radiology equipment.  A fully equipped Heart Center, Maternity/OB Dept, ICU, CCU, Pediatric ICU, and Pharmacy.  A clinic cannot provide these specialized services in the slight chance you need additional care. Recovery in a hospital: Dr. Aceves does not use a hotel for recovery, after your Gastric Sleeve surgery you will stay the next three nights in Almater Hospital.  Many doctors operate out of a clinic and then they send you to a hotel for recovery for 1 - 2 nights.  There are no medical personnel in the hotel as in a fully equipped hospital.  Dr. Aceves keeps you in a fully equipped hospital for three full nights so you may receive 24/7 nursing care and MD supervision. Location: Many US citizens are concerned about the dangers of Tijuana and Juarez, Mexico.  Dr. Aceves does not practice in Tijuana or Juarez, he practices in Mexicali, Mexico as it is a much safer town.  While we will pick you up at the San Diego airport for your convenience we will bring you to Mexicali for your care.  Mexicali is the border town with Calexico, California.  The hospital is about 1 mile away from the US border, a very comforting location for many Americans. Financing: Many patients find themselves short on the full surgery fees and they sometimes choose to obtain home loans, bank loans, loans from family or friends, and some prefer to work directing with a finance company.  The following are two of the finance companies we work with to provide services for all or part of your surgery: Med Choice:  Phone Applications are accepted, 800 358 8980.  They will ask for a provider number and that is 4447 Citerra Financial: 866 811 6433 or www.citerrafinancial.com Considerations: Many doctors do just a small portion of your surgery and they have the Asst. Surgeon do the bulk of your surgical procedure.  Dr. Aceves does not do this!  He will do your surgery from start to finish.  If he is not available surgery is not scheduled. We only use a fully equipped hospital and never a clinic.  Recovery is at the hospital and not a hotel.  Since we do work out of an actual hospital there is a Cardiologist, Internal Medicine physician, and other specialty physicians available for your needs. Dr. Aceves has 16 years of experience performing Weight Loss Surgery, he has a proven track record and better statistics than most in Mexico.  He is a leading bariatric surgeon and this is why he continues to train both Mexican and US doctors in various surgical techniques. Many doctors use a product called Barium for your leak test.  Barium is safe as long as there are no leaks, if there is a leak then Barium is quite dangerous.  It is not absorbed by the body and many times it has to be surgically removed.  Dr. Aceves uses a water based contrast.  If there is a leak your body will absorb the contrast material.  Barium is quite inexpensive and this is why many doctors prefer Barium.  Water based contrast material is quite expensive and this is the only product Dr. Aceves will use for you because it is the safest product for your health. Many doctors only do one leak tests, some only do two.  Dr. Aceves does three leak tests.  One is during surgery, one is after surgery with a product called Methylene Blue.  The 3rd and most important test is with a water soluble contrast that can be seen under Xray.  Dr. Aceves wants to make sure that you are safe to return to your home upon discharge from Almater Hospital. I believe we have the best surgeon, in the most convenient and safe location, at an affordable price with a proven track record for skill and customer service.  I would encourage you to join Dr. Aceves' message board.  It is a Yahoo Group and you can speak with other patients and talk to them about their own surgical experiences at our hospital: Dr-Aceves-bandsters : Dr-Aceves-bandsters There is a new message board that just opened and you are free to post your questions to other patients at this location as well: www.WLSfacts.com If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Renee Kohlpath 602 331 9949 [email protected] [email protected] www.mexicalibariatriccenter