For patients from the U.S. and Canada
Surgery in Puerto Vallarta,
without the guesswork
Many of my patients fly in from the United States and Canada. The logistics shouldn't be what stands between you and your health, so they're handled: a video consultation before you book, airport transfers, partner hotels, and follow-up by video once you're home.
What isn't handled for you is the medical decision. That's made with your tests on the table, the same way it would be if you lived here.
- 5–9 daysTypical stay for bariatric surgery
- PVRDirect flights from the U.S. and Canada
- VideoFirst consult and follow-up, in English
- 2Private hospitals where I operate
Where you are operated on
Hospital Vallarta Medical Center
and Hospital Punta Mita.
Certified private hospitals · Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita
Intensive care and 24-hour emergency department
See it first
Where you'll be
Before getting on a plane, it's reasonable to want to see the place. This video walks through the facilities and how we work with patients who travel.
How it works
From your first call
to your flight home
Video consultation
We review your medical history, your weight history and any conditions you live with. You'll know whether you're a candidate before you spend anything on travel.
Tests in your home city
Most lab work and several studies can be done where you live and sent to us. We review them before you travel, so your time in Puerto Vallarta is as short as it can safely be.
Travel coordination
Our patient coordinator schedules your in-person appointments, books a partner hotel and arranges transfers from the airport.
Final evaluations on arrival
The remaining studies — including the upper endoscopy for bariatric patients — and the pre-anesthesia assessment happen in your first days. If something doesn't add up, surgery is postponed.
Surgery and hospital stay
At Hospital Vallarta Medical Center or Hospital Punta Mita, with one to two nights in hospital depending on the procedure.
Post-op check before you fly
You don't board a plane without being examined first. You leave with your complete records in English, written instructions and a direct line for questions.
Length of stay
How many days to plan
Gastric sleeve
5 to 7 days: final evaluations, surgery, one to two nights in hospital and your post-op check before the flight.
Gastric bypass
6 to 8 days. Early recovery is slightly slower than after a sleeve.
Revision surgery
7 to 9 days. Operating on a previously operated abdomen calls for a longer hospital stay and closer monitoring.
Gallbladder & hernias
4 to 6 days for uncomplicated scheduled procedures.
Traveling with someone
It isn't required, and many patients travel alone. If you bring a companion, partner hotel rates cover them too.
Visiting and unwell
If you're in Puerto Vallarta on vacation and something is wrong, see surgery for visitors.
Surgery for visitors →Logistics
What's taken care of
Airport transfers
Airport to hotel, hotel to hospital and back. Coordinated by our team, so you're not arranging transport in a city you don't know.
Partner hotels
Hotels close to the hospital with preferred rates for patients and companions.
Insurance review
Our coordinator checks your policy before you book — not after you've arrived.
Direct flights
Puerto Vallarta (PVR) has direct service from many U.S. and Canadian cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal. Routes vary by season.
Follow-up by video
From the first month after discharge, surgery and nutrition visits can be by video call. Distance doesn't interrupt your care.
Records in English
You leave with your complete medical records in English, so your doctor at home has everything they need.
What else you should know
Having surgery far from home
comes with considerations
Medical tourism is often sold as a vacation with surgery included. It isn't one, and it's better to know that before you decide.
It's not a vacation
You won't be exploring the city in the days after surgery. Recovery means rest, short walks and a liquid diet. Plan the sightseeing trip for another time.
No sun, pool or ocean
Incisions can't be submerged or exposed to the sun for the first few weeks. Being steps from the beach and unable to swim frustrates patients who didn't expect it.
The flight home has rules
You don't fly without clearance at your post-op check. Book a flexible ticket: if recovery takes a little longer, you don't want to choose between your health and a change fee.
A complication at home
If something happens after you return, you're at a distance. That's why you leave with full records, a direct line and a plan with your local doctor — and why we recommend complications insurance for medical travel.
No serious surgical practice can promise that everything will go perfectly. What it can offer is a clear plan for when something doesn't.
Common questions
About traveling for surgery
How many days do I need to stay in Puerto Vallarta?
Between 4 and 9 days depending on the procedure: 5 to 7 for a gastric sleeve, 6 to 8 for a gastric bypass, and 4 to 6 for scheduled general surgery such as a gallbladder or hernia repair. Your exact plan is set during the video consultation, once we know which tests you already have.
Can I have my first consultation without traveling?
Yes. The first consultation is by video call, in English. We review your history and tell you whether you're a candidate before you buy a plane ticket.
What if I arrive and surgery isn't possible?
It can happen, and it's better than the alternative. If a final test shows something that needs to be treated first, surgery is postponed — a return flight is never a reason to operate. That's why we ask for as many tests as possible before you travel: so this is rare.
Does my U.S. or Canadian insurance cover surgery in Mexico?
Many plans don't cover elective surgery abroad, some cover part of it, and a few cover it fully. Our insurance coordinator reviews your policy before you book so you know exactly where you stand. We also recommend a medical-travel complications policy, which is inexpensive and designed for this situation.
How does follow-up work once I'm home?
From the first month after discharge, visits with surgery and nutrition can be by video call. At three months you have a nutrition consult, and between three and six months a review with surgery and endocrinology, with lab work you can do in your home city and send to us.
Do I need a visa?
U.S. and Canadian citizens don't need a visa for a tourist stay in Mexico; a valid passport is required. Entry rules can change, so check current requirements with your government before you travel.
About this page
Written and reviewed by
Dr. José Andrés Cárdenas Figueroa
General & bariatric surgeon
Residency in General Surgery at the University of Guadalajara, followed by post-residency high-specialty training in Advanced Minimally Invasive Gastrointestinal Surgery at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara. Staff surgeon at Hospital Vallarta Medical Center and Hospital Punta Mita.
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
“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
No flight, no commitment. We review your case and I tell you whether you're a candidate before you plan anything.
WhatsApp is free and works with U.S. and Canadian numbers. We're on Central Time (UTC−6) year-round.