Who will operate on you
Not every patient
needs surgery
I'm a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon in Puerto Vallarta, trained in advanced minimally invasive surgery. Before I operate, a team of eight specialists reviews your case. If surgery isn't your best option, I'll tell you — before you book a flight.
- Board-certifiedMexican Board of General Surgery
- IFSOInternational Federation for the Surgery of Obesity
- 8Specialists review each case
- EnglishConsultation, care and records
Who operates on you
“I treat my patients’ conditions honestly, ethically and responsibly.”
Dr. José Andrés Cárdenas Figueroa · General and bariatric surgeon
Board-certified by the Mexican Board of General Surgery
Why patients travel here
Time, a complete team,
and a fair price
No waiting list
In Canada, publicly funded bariatric surgery can mean waiting months or years, depending on your province. Here, the evaluation starts when you're ready.
Eight specialists
Nutrition, psychology, internal medicine, endocrinology, cardiology, endoscopy and anesthesiology review your case before a date is set.
From $6,500 USD
Including hospital stay, the full team and six months of follow-up — with a comparison against U.S. and Canadian prices, sources included.
See the cost →See it first
Where you'll be
Before getting on a plane, it's reasonable to want to see the place.
When you travel
Most of the evaluation happens
before you get on a plane
Locally, the evaluation takes four weeks. For patients who travel, it's adapted so your time in Puerto Vallarta is only as long as it safely needs to be.
- At home
Video consultation
- With me, in English
- History and related conditions
- Whether you're a candidate
- At home
Tests and review
- Labs in your home city
- Psychology by video
- Internal medicine review
- In Puerto Vallarta
Final evaluation and surgery
- Endoscopy and anesthesia assessment
- Surgery in a private hospital
- 1–2 nights in hospital
- Back home
Follow-up
- Surgery and nutrition by video
- Six months included
- Full records in English
Procedures
What I do
Gastric sleeve
About 80% of the stomach is removed. Less volume and less of the hormone that drives hunger.
Read more BariatricGastric bypass
The option of choice with severe reflux or hard-to-control type 2 diabetes.
Read more BariatricHad surgery before?
Regained weight or developed reflux after a sleeve done anywhere? The first step is finding out why.
Revision surgery General surgeryGallbladder
Laparoscopic removal, usually with a 24-hour hospital stay.
For visitors General surgeryAppendix & hernias
Urgent and scheduled surgery for visitors to Puerto Vallarta.
For visitors —Am I a candidate?
Who it's worth evaluating — and who needs something else first.
Find out
About the surgeon
Dr. José Andrés
Cárdenas Figueroa
“I treat my patients honestly and responsibly — even when the honest answer is that it isn't time to operate yet.”
- Medical license
- 11043322 · Specialty license 11455493
- Board certification
- Mexican Board of General Surgery
- Training
- General Surgery, University of Guadalajara · Advanced Minimally Invasive GI Surgery, Autonomous University of Guadalajara
- Hospitals
- Hospital Vallarta Medical Center · Hospital Punta Mita
I don't operate alone
The team behind each case
Ana Mariela Madrigal, MSc
Clinical nutrition
Brenda
Psychology
Dr. Juan Martín Chávez
Internal medicine
Dr. Marisol Cuevas
Endocrinology
Dr. Estefanía Quesada
Cardiology
Dr. Alejandro Arreola
Gastroenterology & endoscopy
Dr. David Arias
AnesthesiologyPatient coordination
Travel, insurance & transfersTransparency
What it costs,
and what's included
Bariatric surgery from
$6,500 USD
Including hospital stay, the full specialist team and six months of follow-up.
Full breakdownIncluded
- One to two nights in hospital
- Fees for the surgeon and the full team
- Pre-op endoscopy and post-op contrast study
- Pre- and post-operative lab work
- Follow-up at 7–10 days, 1, 3 and 6 months
- Five nutrition and two psychology consultations
Not included: flights, hotel, and the annual check-up from month six onward.
Common questions
What most people ask first
How much does bariatric surgery cost with you?
From $6,500 USD, including the hospital stay, the full specialist team and six months of follow-up. The exact figure depends on the procedure; you get it itemized, in writing, after your video consultation.
Do I have to travel for the first consultation?
No. The first consultation is by video, in English, with me. You'll know whether you're a candidate before you book a flight.
How long will I stay in Puerto Vallarta?
Five to seven days for a gastric sleeve and six to eight for a bypass, including final evaluations, surgery, one to two nights in hospital and a post-op check before you fly.
Is it safe to have surgery in Mexico?
It depends on the hospital, the surgeon and the process — not on the country. I operate only in private hospitals, after a full evaluation, with follow-up that continues once you're home. The safety page covers this in detail, including questions to ask any surgeon.
What if I'm not a candidate?
Then I'll tell you, explain why, and tell you what would need to change. Often it's a “not yet” rather than a no, and you leave with a plan either way.
Where and with whom
This is what working
with this team looks like
Google reviews
What patients say — unedited
every one of them 5 stars
“Highly recommended. A doctor with a great deal of experience who explains everything in such detail that you get the confidence you need before going into the operating room. Thank you for the empathy, care and monitoring during and after surgery.”
Translated from Spanish · original on Google
“Dr. Cárdenas performed laparoscopic surgery on my mother-in-law to remove her gallbladder, which was already badly infected. His prompt care kept it from getting complicated and, thanks to that type of surgery, she recovered quickly. We highly recommend him.”
Translated from Spanish · original on Google
“I brought a family member to Dr. Cárdenas as an emergency. His diagnosis was spot on: a gallbladder problem that needed urgent surgery, and he kept her health from getting worse. After surgery he stayed closely on top of her recovery… she is now fully recovered.”
Translated from Spanish · original on Google
“Attentive and dedicated, very professional and punctual. I'm very satisfied with the care and how quickly everything moved, from the first consultation to the procedure and the post-op visits. I highly recommend him!”
Translated from Spanish · original on Google
Reviews are shown exactly as patients wrote them on Google, translated from Spanish. We don't write, edit or pay for reviews.
Next step
Start with a video call
Tell me about your case in a couple of lines. You'll hear back the same day, and the first consultation is with me, in English, before you commit to anything.
WhatsApp is free and works with U.S. and Canadian numbers. We're on Central Time (UTC−6) year-round.