Out of Country Surgeries: Not Worth the Risk

Achieving weight loss through surgical procedures such as gastric bypass surgery and stomach banding are becoming increasingly popular. With the rise of obesity health costs in Canada, hopeful surgery seekers are eager to find a bargain on Lap Band surgeries wherever they can. Among other surgical procedures, travelling abroad for inexpensive weight reduction surgery has quickly become a phenomenon in North America. Coined as "medical tourism, these trips are now available in pre-arranged packages through "surgical travel agents". Thousands of Canadian and U.S. citizens fly to countries such as Mexico and Colombia each year in hopes of receiving top-notch surgery at a discounted price. What so many of these hopeful patients don't realize is that there are serious health risks involved in having an out of country surgical procedure performed.

Scheduling a surgical procedure requires thoughtful planning between patient and doctor. Scheduling an out of country surgery is often completed online without proper face-to-face consultation. This doesn't allow for adequate patient assessment or for informed decisions to be made based on doctor/patient mutual understanding; instead it sacrifices peace of mind. Aside from a lack of proper planning, there are far worse scenarios all too commonly experienced when dealing with out of country surgeries. Unfortunately, weight loss surgery in many countries is simply not regulated with the same rigor as it is in Canada. In some cases, tour operators who are responsible for setting up surgery vacation packages with clients aren't legitimate and can connect unassuming patients to unqualified doctors. If you do decide to undergo a procedure abroad, follow-up needs and appointments become extremely difficult to uphold. Separated by distance, your new surgeon won't be able to provide you with the post-operative care so crucial for proper healing.

When it comes to finances, searching for cheap alternatives and budgeting is practical. But when it comes to life-altering choices such as undergoing weight loss surgery, the integrity of your procedural path shouldn't be compromised in exchange for a few dollars saved. Simply put: out of country surgeries just aren’t worth it. Your body, health and well-being deserve the time, care and professionalism that can be provided to you locally. Our team at Omni Surgery Centre offers safe, reliable stomach banding procedures using the Lap Band system. Staffed by the finest professionals in the health care field, Omni Surgery Centre is focused on helping you safely achieve your weight-loss goals surgically in a safe and credible environment.

Andrea Asa Sonnenberg is a freelance writer who specializes in health and wellness issues. If you're in the Saskatchewan or Alberta area and are interested in learning more about stomach banding or lap bands services and procedures offered at Omni Surgery Centre, visit our website at http://www.omnilapband.ca for more information.