Ariel Ortiz Lagardere Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Ortiz is very approachable and professional. By the time I arrived in Tijuana, Mexico I felt as though I knew him personally. I did loads of research and watched many videos of him. His staff was very accommodating and friendly. The clinic was so clean, I knew I had made the right decision from the moment I walked through the doors. If you relax and put your trust in Dr. Ortiz and his staff, I promise you will not be disappointed. I had my banding surgery in July 2010 and have already lost 42 lbs. The nutritionist Dr. Miranda is always available for any aftercare questions that arise. I have had two fills with Dr. So and have been told I will not need to return for 6-8 months. I wouldn't change a thing. My experience has been 100% favorable. I cannot think of one thing I would change to make it better. Last time I was in for a fill we past Dr. Ortiz in the hall, he smiled at my husband and extended his hand, my husband shook it and thanked him. When I extended my had he smiled and hugged me. Once you have had surgery at OCC you are part of the family.

I did a lot of research on going across the border to have a Lap Band surgery. I had looked up a number of Drs. and in the end Dr Ortiz is the one I settled with. He certainly has done A LOT of surgeries, so I know that he is experienced. All in all I met him for a total of 10 minutes before my surgery, he was nice enough, good bed side manner, and so far I think he;s done a fairly good job. His staff of office people and nurses were pretty nice too but not all of them spoke english.

I wouldn't rate their customer service very high. I was meant to get picked up at the baggage claim in the San Deigo Airport, instead after waiting for 45 minutes and trying to call the office to locate the driver, the pick up was more of a drive by shove you in, rather then a great first impression greeting. The driver didn't even speak to my husband and I at all, except to tell us that plans had changed and there was a mix up with my pre-op (which I had been fasting for). After that was all sorted and we crossed the boarder to Tijuana I was in complete culture shock, it was nothing like I had expected. I think I started crying right then and there, wondering if I had done the right thing.

Once we got to the clinic I felt like I was just another number and that the nutrionist was in a hurry to get home for the day so she raced through my post op diet and then rushed out the door. I really wasn't impressed, but I decided to wait it out and see how the next day went. Thankfully it was better and the clinic staff were friendlier.

The surgery and all that led to it was great, I didn't have to wait long and the other patience of the day were all in the same boat being as nervous as I was, and I guess that helped. I went back to the hotel that afternoon and apart from being a bit sore and having a bit of gas, I did pretty well.

The nurses and Dr Ortiz did stress aftercare and particulary post op diet. It was very well layed out and detailed.

All in all I would rate Dr. Ortiz at a 8 out of ten, But some things were out of his control.

Dr. Ortiz had a great disposition and was very professionals. The staff was very helpful and very caring. There was nothing that I did not like about Dr. Ortiz.
Dr. Ortiz cares about the care of his patients before, during and after care.
Yes - has an aftercare program and is available for questions.
I do wish that he would have personally checked in on my after my surgery - he may have and I just don't know.
Dr. Ortiz did not discuss the risks of the surgery with me personally and I was not put off by this because I had done my own research. I feel that if I had questions specific to risk, he would have answered them.
On a scale of 1-10 I would rate Dr. Ortiz a 10 both in competency, bedside manner and also his looks - he is a very handsome man!

My first impression of him was "This guy really knows his stuff, and he rocks!" He stayed and talked with me and my friend for a good 20 minutes before surgery and talked to her about her previous band and her previous doctor. He went over quite a bit with me but I was so sleepy! Everyone in his office were very welcoming and extremely helpful! Future patients should know that you get what you pay for (and then some!) He and Dr. Martinez are amazing surgeons! Apparently Dr. Martinez came in and spoke with me after surgery but I have no recollection of it because I was groggy! He also saw me the next day and went over everything again! What an awesome guy! They emphasized aftercare quite a bit, especially Dr. Miranda, the nutritionist. They have a great aftercare program. I live in Southern California so will be heading back for my fills. Both bedside manner and surgical competence are great. For anyone worried about the scars, DONT BE! The incisions were small, there is only one that was slightly large, maybe an inch. They don't use stitches, they have this nifty clear stuff instead. I almost want to call it a liquid bandage, its amazing. Also, I believe that they give a large discount if you schedule your surgery with another family member! What a great way to support each other!

On a scale of 1-10 I give them a 20! They exceeded my expectations as well as my friends! She lost her band, and now she only wants to go back to Dr. Ortiz/Dr. Martinez to get her next one! :) I love them and would recommend them to anyone! If you have any questions, please shoot me a message.

Dr. Ortiz was honest, but not brutally honest. He also had a great sense of humor, but then I'm pretty sure the rest of the staff did too! Everyone was just wonderful. The nutritionist, Dr. Gabriella Miranda, was very kind & friendly. She was very detailed with the diet & was able to answer any questions we had. The Cardiologist, Dr. Jose Alfredo Jimenez, was very personable as well. The staff was very well trained & all of them spoke at least a little bit of English (if not fully able to speak it), which was great. The clinic is immaculate, & great care is taken to preserve it. It's also very well structured & comfortable. Do not let the poorer states of some areas of Tijuana fool you. The clinic is like another world & is very modern & up to date in equipment. Future patients should know that they will be in good hands & that there is nothing to worry about! Great aftercare diet & advice, & all doctors were just full of information. The risks of surgery weren't discussed as much because that information is given directly when the clinic is contacted. The staff is also available, being just a phone call or email away, before & after surgery. So patients are able to ask questions whenever they arise. However, risks of messing up the band, stretching the pouch etc., were very well covered & stressed by all doctors. I would give my experience & the whole Obesity Control Center 5 out of 5 stars. The whole surgery experience was much less of a hassle & a lot less stressful compared to the traveling part! If there was anything I could complain about is that maybe the weird underwear you have to wear under your gown are silly lol. Or maybe that I wasn't expecting the IV to burn & that worried me for a second, since no one had told me. That was honestly about the extent of anything bad about the care & experience. Surgical competence is very important, but I believe bedside manner is a close second. My mother had her gastric bypass done with a local doctor who had the bedside manners of a cold fish. I don't think she was as happy with her experience as I have been with mine. It's important for a patient to have a doctor who honestly is devoted to their well being & satisfaction. There's no lack of good bedside manner or competence at the Obesity Control Center. I highly recommend this clinic for any one who has been wanting the lap band procedure done, but just didn't like the prices. They say you get what you pay for, but I feel the this is one of those truly great deals. If you have any questions about the clinic or my procedure, please do not hesitate to ask me!

On the phone and email, very knowledgeable. Had many bariatric surgeons as friends worldwide and is highly regarded as an inamed trainer. the staff was nice but it helps to speak some spanish. he was doing 3 surgeries a day--he is doing 8-9 now. not an assembly line process. HE WAS IN SURGERY WITH ME ALONGSIDE MARTINEZ. HAVE TWO EXPERT SURGEONS IF YOU CAN. THAT WAY, IF ONE LEAVES THE PRACTICE, YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER DOC TO RELY ON.Aftercare is minimal but I knew that--they welcome any doc's patients for aftercare. Cannot beat that. Excellent surgeons (ortiz/Martinez). Request that your surgeon stays in the operating room with you-whoever opens ya up has to close ya back up. your surgery experience is what you make of it. mexican surgeons i recommend with no hesitation are ortiz/martinez and kuri of tijuana. az: simpson (lap band). i recommend dr. juarez (rny) at st. luke's in phoenix. i recommend only one u.s. surgeon in the southwest u.s.--dr. terry simpson--excellent and is concerned 4 all patients even if he didn't do your surgery. ask dr. simpson questions at [email protected]. he carries a blackberry all the time. awesome doc and does the most lap bands in az!!rntake a proactive role in your care--even if you have insurance, act as if you are a self pay. see it as an investment. also, be aware, future health insurance premiums might be more expensive if you have complications. update your life insurance if you've lost weight to lower premiums.

I had a very good first impression of Dr. Ortiz. His office staff was very friendly andrnhelpful. He seems to really love what he does.I would give him a very high rating, I went back to him for my first fill / fluro, I wish I could go back to him for all fills, it was a fun experience.

What was your first impression of him/her?rnCUTErnrn How did your impression change over time?rnHE was STILL CUTErnrn How would you describe his/her office staff?rnKNOWLEDGEABLE and KINDrn rnWhat did you like least about him/her?rnN/Arn rnWhat should future patients know about him/her?rnHE IS VERY BUSYrnrn How much does he/she emphasize aftercare?rnSOMErnrn Does he/she have a structured aftercare rnFOR THE FIRST 21 DAYS - VERY STRICTrnrn How did he/she address the risks of surgery?rnADDRESSED PRE-OPrnrn How would you rate him/her overall?rnA+++rnrn Which is better, surgical competence, bedside manner, or are both great?rnSURGICAL COMPETENCE, OF COURSErn

My surgery was in October 2007. I have had great success in my weight loss. Dr Ortiz's staff was excellent and extremely professional. The facilities were bar none the best you can find ANYWHERE. I chose Dr. Ortiz because he is an expert consultant with Allergan, and he is one of the most experienced surgeons out there. I suggest you line up aftercare BEFORE you make plans for surgery. His office will help you. Aftercare with Ortiz is non-existent unless you personally followup with them. I knew that going in, and was not disappointed with that. I arranged my aftercare and have been very successful with my weight loss. I highly recommend Ortiz and his facilities.

I just had my surgery this week. Dr. Ortiz and the whole staff were absoulty fantastic!! I would recommend anyone to Dr. Ortiz. The room was so relaxing and the hotel was really nice too. It was great because the hotel staff even knows what you can eat and what you can't eat. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heart beat.