San Jorge Clinica Bariatric Center

Nearly six years after my last review of Dr. Baltasar, I am at a normal BMI and am lovin' my DS and I'm so very thankful for the new chance at life that the DS and Dr. B have given me. I know I would have died by now - my super super morbidly obese body would have definitely bit the dust. That body, it was a hurting then, now I'm just a little on the weird side of normal - at 46 I'm starting to feel the age, but, I still can move pretty quickly - ask my 6 year old students.

Truly, I'd be sunk if anything were to happen to my DS and I didn't have the malabsorption. I am certain I'd start regain at the drop of a hat without the DS fighting obesity for me.

Dr. Baltasar told me the day that he revised my leaking and non-working band to DS that the DS would work much better for me; he was so right! I saw him a few years after my surgery - he was funny, he told me not to lose any more weight! Actually, he was/is right, the remaining extra weight I have is all due to extra skin and I would probably be a little too skinny without the extra skin. He does have a great sense of humor and is a excellent surgeon. He is very interested in still keeping in touch with his patients. I believe he has had fewer Americans fly to Spain in recent years due to the Euro/Dollar rates, but if that has changed, he's wonderful and it's a very beautiful part of the world to visit. His little old hospital is quaint and old fashioned, but the nurses did take very good care of me. Alcoy is near the olive and almond growing region, I believe, and we then stayed on the Meditarranean in Benidorm, a city that reminds me of Waikiki with it's high-rise hotels and beaches. I heard more English and German than Spanish practically. It's the playground of the Brits and others seeking a holiday value.

Check DSFacts and research, research, research if you are looking into the DS.

My opinion of him is not good(he's a nice enough guy, but I wasn't looking for a friend. He nearly killed me in his greed. I was one of his guinea pigs when he was just beginning to learn the laproscopic DS. My commplicatons were serious and almost the death of me. First, I started haf=ving problems with pain in my side right up under my rib cage, after much ado, it was discovered that the gall bladder he told me had been removed had not at all. I had severe choleycystitis (sp?) and had to have my gall bladder removed 3 months post-DS. Unbeknown to me, I had developed a leak from my DS, which became an abscess that grew around my spleen and the area of the duodenum. The abscess burst and put me into septic shock at 4 months post-DS. I had emergency surgery and lost my spleen and almost my life. I was in intensive care for 11 days. I was one sick puppy for a long time. That is when my weight just melted. I will never know how much was due to the DS and how much was due to my complications and illness that resulted. By the time I was 1 year post-DS, I was at goal and finally beginning to feel human again. I was not able to work for well over a year, as I was too sick and weak from all of the problems. Altogether, with the DS and the other 2 surgeries, I ws 14 1/2 hours in surgery. It took it's toll. I am good now, but it took me a very long time to get up to snuff. Naturally, since I had my surgery in Spain, I had to take care of all of my complications and after-care independently. Would not recommend Dr Baltasar or going outside the country. You have no one to fall back on and no recourse when you develop problems. After I paid for everything else that happened as a result of my DS, I'd have been better off financially (not to emntion physically) if I had paid the full price of having the surgery locally. I only thought I was getting a deal. What a deal I got!!!!!!

I have had only positive experiences with Dr. Baltasar. I had my surgery on 2/2/02 and as recently as last month he contacted me to check how I was doing. He doesn't do it often, but I know I'm still on his radar and I appreciate the follow up.

One of the finest and most skilled physicians I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.rnrnDr. Baltasar's experience is unparalleled in bariatric surgery and his personal manner is genuine and caring. rnrnI am not a person who is easily impressed by doctors, but Dr. Baltasar, his surgical team and his staff impressed me a great deal.rnrnAll of the staff at the Clinica in Spain were kind, caring and did thier jobs very well. I always felt I was getting the best care possible and would not hesitate to go back for any reason.rnrnIf you are considering Dr. Baltasar for your surgery and have questions about the experience please feel free to PM me. I also recommend the baltasar-ds mailing list at Yahoo Groups, through which you can contact many other patients of Dr. B.

Dr B is fantastic, caring, measure and calm. he took great care of me in Spain, especially when I had complications which meant I had to be admitted to the general hospital. he came in to see me everyday, even on sundays.rnkeeps in contact with you and reminds you to get your labs done.

I am writing this 4 months post-op.rnrnDr. Baltasar, or Dr. B as he prefers to be called, was outstanding. I could not hope for a better surgeon.rnrnI went to his home town in Spain for the surgery. He was a very caring person. He makes a point of performing only one surgery a day and has a team of two other surgeons who has been working with him for more than 15 years.rnrnHe saw me the day before the surgery, and then an hour before my surgery. He was there when I went under anaesthesia and there when I came out. He visited me at least twice a day while I was in the hospital, and was always available on the phone when needed.rnrnDespite his advice that I could travel 10 days post-op, I decided to stay for a month in Spain. I wanted a long relaxing holiday. He sent me his mobile telephone number even before meeting me. He put up with all kinds of panic calls from me with stupid questions of what I can eat and why do I feel nausea. He is one of the most caring persons.rnrnEven now, 4 months post-op, he still finds time in his busy schedule to drop me a line asking about my lab works and weight loss. I feel that Dr.B is a friend now more than a surgeon.rnrnHe is one of the top surgeons in the world in this type of surgery. To see this level of personal involvement and care from a person like this, is suprising in this day and agre of commercialism. I remember calling him once in a small panic and his wife picking up the phone because he was indisposed. She listened carefully, calmed me down, and made sure that the doctor called back.rnrnOutstanding person, outstanding skill.rnrnHighly recommended.rnrnCannot say enough about him.

Dr B is a very gentle and very professional.rnMy impression of him has change into a high level of respect for what he does. He is very professional and serious when it comes to the surgery and your health, but after all is said and done. He has a sense of humor. I would definitly go back to him and referred fututre patients to him. The downside is Dr B is in Spain. Your aftercare program is more through your PCP but if you or your Dr have question Dr B is alway available on the phone or through e-mail and is very qiuck to respone. His surgical competence and bedside manner were Great!!!!!He gave me back my life.rnKatie

I like him a lot. Due to the natural language thing he is very brief in writing in english, but to speak to him personally is real good. Everyone should know that he is unquestionably one of the top 3 bariatric surgeons in the world. He is a great sergeon who is rated the best bariatric surgeon by most other surgeons worldwide. On top of that he is a nice caring person

He is a master surgeon! Could not have asked for more in a doctor. I would trust him with my first born child if it came right down to it.

I was nervous about going to Spain for my surgery, however, Dr. Baltasar was a wonderful choice to make. I appreciate his physician team and the shortened period of time under anesthesia made recovery easy. rnrnI originally signed up for the DS operation but Dr. Baltasar suggested that the vertical gastrectomy would result in a more beneficial quality of life. rnrnI have no negative response to Dr. Baltasar and I suggest anyone who wants sensible weight loss surgery advice to see bodybybaltasar.com and connect with Dina. rnrnI was approved for RNY by my Kaiser insurance but after listening to all the complaints by RNY people I opted for the DS and was delighted to discover yet another procedure that had even fewer side effects.