Weight Loss Surgery in Iran

How Bariatric Surgery or Weight Loss Surgery in Iran Can Help You Lose Weight

Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery in Iran, has developed significantly in the last decade as Iran has established an unrivaled reputation as a destination for bariatric surgery thanks to its experienced surgeons, affordable prices, and the developed infrastructure of the Iranian healthcare system.

Bariatric procedures in their essence are surgical procedures that aim to reduce the number of calories and nutrients entering the body in one way or another. Bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) is considered an appropriate option for weight loss in people who are obese, and at the same time have failed traditional or non-surgical methods of weight loss such as diet and exercise.

There are 6 types of weight loss surgery (also called “bariatric surgery”) available. Each type has advantages and disadvantages.

Here is a very brief description of how each procedure will help you lose weight:

Gastric Sleeve – you will feel less hungry generally & full sooner while eating
Gastric Bypass – you will feel full sooner while eating & absorb fewer minerals
Duodenal Switch – you feel less hungry generally & full sooner while eating, absorb fewer calories and minerals
LAP-BAND – you will feel full sooner while eating
Gastric Balloon – you will temporarily feel full sooner while eating (balloon removed after 6 months) (though it is not regarded as an actual surgical operation)
Aspire Assist – drain a portion of stomach contents after eating and absorb fewer calories

What Makes a Good Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery in Iran?

Doctors and dietitian experts use Body Mass Index (BMI), as a measurement, to determine a person’s normal weight concerning their height.

The BMI is basically used as a screening and diagnostic tool to show whether a person is overweight or underweight. It is used to determine a person’s level of corpulence or leanness and to evaluate tissue mass, based on height and weight. At the same time, bariatric surgeons use BMI to determine a person’s eligibility for weight loss surgery along with other factors.

BMI Calculator

Weight loss surgery must be considered as a last resort after the failure of all nonsurgical methods, such as gastric Botox, to manage weight. But in general, people who fit the criteria below qualify for weight loss surgery:

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 40 kg/m2 who failed nonsurgical treatment
BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 and at least one or more obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, or fatty liver.
BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, in some cases and according to the dietitian and doctor’s judgments

To calculate your BMI, use the free BMI calculator available here.

Types of Weight-Loss Surgery in Iran

You must have heard of several types of surgical operations to treat obesity. Iran Medical Tours offers weight loss surgery in Iran with the latest techniques and equipment

Gastric Bypass

In gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon closes most of the stomach leaving a small pouch, and connects that small pouch to the middle of the small intestine, allowing food to pass directly from the stomach to the small intestine bypassing a large part of the stomach, and most of the first half of the small intestine.

Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy, is a surgical process in which the stomach is reduced into a sleeve-like thin tube, by doing that the surgeon isolates and closes most of the stomach, leaving only a small part of the stomach.

How Are Weight Loss Surgical Procedures Done?

Gastric bypass and gastric sleeve operations are performed using open or laparoscopic surgery.

As for gastric balloon, it is not considered an operation in the true sense, but rather a nonsurgical weight loss procedure that is performed using an endoscope, as it does not include opening the skin, as in the gastric bypass or gastric sleeve.

Which Weight-Loss Surgery Is Best & How Much Does It Cost?

Each type of weight loss surgery differs from the other, as each has its advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, each person has their own considerations when choosing a weight loss method, such as family history, BMI, tests, and endoscopy. Therefore, one type of procedure may be better for each person. The treating physician can recommend the best option among the various procedures to the person after examining their condition and expectations. Let’s give you some details in a nutshell below.

Gastric Bypass

Compared to the other procedures, gastric bypass provides a greater overall weight loss, and its effect starts to appear immediately after the procedure. However, it is a major surgery with its risks and complications, as it may cause health problems through poor absorption of nutrients by the body which may lead to malnutrition. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor permanently the levels of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, in your diet after the operation. It is also important to maintain a balanced diet and take some supplements lifelong after you had a gastric bypass procedure done.

Surgery cost: 3400 $

Gastric Sleeve

Many surgeons and experts consider a Gastric sleeve safer and less risky than a gastric bypass, as the procedure does not include bypassing important parts of the digestive canal or cutting and connecting the bowel and stomach. It involves fewer changes to the gastrointestinal tract anatomy, in general, and is less likely to cause problems like malnutrition. Some experts consider gastric sleeve even safer than stomach balloon, as it does not include foreign plastic bodies that settle in the body for long periods.

Surgery cost: 3000 $

Intragastric or Gastric Balloon

Intragastric balloons or gastric balloons popularity has increased in the last few years as a weight loss procedure because of their safety and simple placement inside the stomach. However, this procedure does not lead to the same weight loss we expect to find with other surgical procedures like gastric bypass and gastric sleeve.

To choose one type of weight loss procedure in Iran over another is up to the physician in consultation with the patient. Still, before you decide to have one of these weight loss procedures done, you must ask yourself the following questions:

How much weight do I expect to lose after the surgery?
How long will it take before the actual effects of the procedure can be seen?
What are the risks associated with each of these procedures?
Will I have to change my diet and nutritional lifestyle if I choose to have one type of weight loss procedure done over the other?

Click here to read more about the differences between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve.

What Are the Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery?

Besides losing weight, weight loss surgeries will help you get rid of some health problems associated with obesity, such as:

Diabetes
Hypertension
High cholesterol level
Sleep apnea and snoring

What Complications Can Occur with Weight Loss Surgery?

The complications that can occur with any procedure vary based on the following:

The type of operation scheduled
The surgical technique used to perform the operation
The patient’s age and general health status
The surgeon’s experience

Weight Loss Surgery Possible Risks & Complications

Some health risks and complications that may occur with weight loss surgeries include:

Bleeding during the operation
Inflammation of the surgical wound
Intestinal anastomosis leaks
Intestinal obstruction or perforation
Heart and lung problems
Gallbladder stones
Malabsorption
Severe diarrhea

Is Weight Loss Surgery Worth It?

Whether bariatric surgery is worth it, depends on each person’s condition and the specialist diagnosis. But most of the time, the health hazards associated with severe obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, high cholesterol, etc. outweigh the adverse effects of weight loss surgeries. Many of these harmful conditions could be improved by bariatric surgery, leading to a higher quality of life.

However, bariatric surgeries, have some side effects as in other surgeries, and the doctors and nutrients usually prescribe medicines and give instructions after surgery, which must be followed carefully by the patient, to help prevent such complications.

Do I Have to Follow a Strict Diet after a Weight Loss Surgery?

After the operation, it is necessary to follow the instructions of your surgeon and diet expert, who determine the appropriate nutritional lifestyle for your condition.

Commitment to healthy foods helps in the procedure’s success; for example, eating foods rich in protein with low fat and calories, and avoiding drinks rich in sugar and calories, all increase the chance of losing weight and getting the best results expected from the procedure.

After the operation, it is necessary to avoid some foods and take nutritional supplements that contain vitamins and minerals, especially after the gastric bypass procedure, because it changes your gut anatomy and affects the body’s absorptive capacity for some nutrients.

Why Iran Medical Tours for Weight Loss Surgery in Iran?

Our professional team at Iran Medical Tours (IMT) can handle the whole process, making your medical travel to Iran hassle-free. We offer pre-operative medical consultations, access to the greatest bariatric surgeons and facilities in Iran, mainly in Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad, help you to obtain an Iran Medical Visa, flights and hotel bookings, airport transfers and transportation, an interpreter, and post-operative follow-ups.

Contact us for a FREE Consultation and find out which surgery is the best for you.

You may also want to know more about these procedures to have a better view of comparing various weight-loss methods in Iran:

FAQs about Weight Loss Surgeries or Bariatric Surgeries in Iran

1. How long does a bariatric surgery take?

It usually takes about 2 – 4 hours.

2. Is weight loss surgery performed under anesthesia?

Yes, it is done under general anesthesia.

3. How long should I stay in the hospital?

The patients usually need to stay in the hospital for one night (sometimes 2 – 3 days for the most invasive bariatric surgeries).

Weight Loss Surgery in Iran

Weight Loss Surgery in Iran

How Bariatric Surgery or Weight Loss Surgery in Iran Can Help You Lose Weight

There are 6 types of weight loss surgery (also called “bariatric surgery”) available. Each type has advantages and disadvantages.

Here is a very brief description of how each procedure will help you lose weight:

Gastric Sleeve – you will feel less hungry generally & full sooner while eating

Gastric Bypass – you will feel full sooner while eating & absorb fewer minerals

Duodenal Switch – you feel less hungry generally & full sooner while eating, absorb fewer calories and minerals

LAP-BAND – you will feel full sooner while eating

Gastric Balloon – you will temporarily feel full sooner while eating (balloon removed after 6 months) (though it is not regarded as an actual surgical operation)

Aspire Assist – drain a portion of stomach contents after eating and absorb fewer calories

What Makes a Good Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery in Iran?

Doctors and dietitian experts use Body Mass Index (BMI), as a measurement, to determine a person’s normal weight concerning their height.

BMI Calculator

Weight loss surgery must be considered as a last resort after the failure of all nonsurgical methods, such as gastric Botox, to manage weight. But in general, people who fit the criteria below qualify for weight loss surgery:

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 40 kg/m2 who failed nonsurgical treatment

BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 and at least one or more obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, or fatty liver.

BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, in some cases and according to the dietitian and doctor’s judgments

To calculate your BMI, use the free BMI calculator available here.

Types of Weight-Loss Surgery in Iran

You must have heard of several types of surgical operations to treat obesity. Iran Medical Tours offers weight loss surgery in Iran with the latest techniques and equipment

Gastric Bypass

Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy, is a surgical process in which the stomach is reduced into a sleeve-like thin tube, by doing that the surgeon isolates and closes most of the stomach, leaving only a small part of the stomach.

How Are Weight Loss Surgical Procedures Done?

Gastric bypass and gastric sleeve operations are performed using open or laparoscopic surgery.

As for gastric balloon, it is not considered an operation in the true sense, but rather a nonsurgical weight loss procedure that is performed using an endoscope, as it does not include opening the skin, as in the gastric bypass or gastric sleeve.

Which Weight-Loss Surgery Is Best & How Much Does It Cost?

Gastric Bypass

Surgery cost: 3400 $

Gastric Sleeve

Surgery cost: 3000 $

Intragastric or Gastric Balloon

To choose one type of weight loss procedure in Iran over another is up to the physician in consultation with the patient. Still, before you decide to have one of these weight loss procedures done, you must ask yourself the following questions:

How much weight do I expect to lose after the surgery?

How long will it take before the actual effects of the procedure can be seen?

What are the risks associated with each of these procedures?

Will I have to change my diet and nutritional lifestyle if I choose to have one type of weight loss procedure done over the other?

Click here to read more about the differences between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve.

What Are the Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery?

Besides losing weight, weight loss surgeries will help you get rid of some health problems associated with obesity, such as:

Diabetes

Hypertension

High cholesterol level

Sleep apnea and snoring

What Complications Can Occur with Weight Loss Surgery?

The complications that can occur with any procedure vary based on the following:

The type of operation scheduled

The surgical technique used to perform the operation

The patient’s age and general health status

The surgeon’s experience

Weight Loss Surgery Possible Risks & Complications

Some health risks and complications that may occur with weight loss surgeries include:

Bleeding during the operation

Inflammation of the surgical wound

Intestinal anastomosis leaks

Intestinal obstruction or perforation

Heart and lung problems

Gallbladder stones

Malabsorption

Severe diarrhea

Is Weight Loss Surgery Worth It?

However, bariatric surgeries, have some side effects as in other surgeries, and the doctors and nutrients usually prescribe medicines and give instructions after surgery, which must be followed carefully by the patient, to help prevent such complications.

Do I Have to Follow a Strict Diet after a Weight Loss Surgery?

After the operation, it is necessary to follow the instructions of your surgeon and diet expert, who determine the appropriate nutritional lifestyle for your condition.

Commitment to healthy foods helps in the procedure’s success; for example, eating foods rich in protein with low fat and calories, and avoiding drinks rich in sugar and calories, all increase the chance of losing weight and getting the best results expected from the procedure.

After the operation, it is necessary to avoid some foods and take nutritional supplements that contain vitamins and minerals, especially after the gastric bypass procedure, because it changes your gut anatomy and affects the body’s absorptive capacity for some nutrients.

Why Iran Medical Tours for Weight Loss Surgery in Iran?

Contact us for a FREE Consultation and find out which surgery is the best for you.

You may also want to know more about these procedures to have a better view of comparing various weight-loss methods in Iran:

Gastric Bypass in Iran

Gastric Balloon in Iran

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Iran

Sleeve Gastrectomy FAQs

Stomach or Gastric BOTOX in Iran

Non-surgical Weight Loss Methods in Iran

FAQs about Weight Loss Surgeries or Bariatric Surgeries in Iran

1. How long does a bariatric surgery take?

It usually takes about 2 – 4 hours.

2. Is weight loss surgery performed under anesthesia?