A coordinator for a dr. in Monerrey that I called to check prices just happens to live in my town. She has the lap band and is successful. I have the lap band and looking to revise to sleeve. She admits she is not that familiar with the sleeve so any questions i had she emailed her dr in monterrey and he would email her back.

He never said anything bad about any dr in Mexico but he was concerned with the low prices some of the drs are charging. He states he uses the Eschelon stapler which no other dr in mx uses according to the rep. I asked dr. kelly about this and he says everyone uses it, why would johnson and johnson make a product and only sell it to one dr. I think he was confused with the Ethicon. I think there is the ethicon stapler and then the newer stapler called the ethicon eschelon stapler. The eschelon is supposed to shoot 3 rows of staples and has less misfiring and supposedly stronger for thicker tissue. The staples for each surgery are $3200, the harmonic scapel is $1600 + hospital expenses, hotel and other drs expenses. So his concern was how can other drs charge $5000.

This dr in monterrey charges $9200 for the sleeve. Does anyone know anything about the staplers, should this be a concern, which one do the amerian drs. use?

I was hoping to make a decision soon. I am a revision so I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and pay the $9200, but then I would be broke, lol. Sure would love to have a little left in the bank. So tired of being terrified of this whole thing, i need a crystal ball.

Monterey in CA or in Mexico? I would like to know if Dr Aceves in Mexicali uses the newer one?

Good questions. Hopefully we can get an answer.

I would be less concerned about the stapler than the surgeon wielding it. Surgical instrument companies exist to sell instruments and there is always "something new" to sell. Whether or not it makes a difference in the outcome---who knows?

I saw the stapler used on my in the surgery room. And it was the ethicon echelon along with the refills . The stapler dont cost that much. Much less the staples. The US and Canada hike prices to make their costs seem legit. I asked the doc before hand how many rows of staples and he said 6. 3 on your new pouch and 3 on the old pouch. And I had my surgery done in jerusalem clinic in TJ,Mx for 4500 bucks. And they had over 20 employees. Figure that one out. Oh and my stapler and refills WERE in the factory presealed packs. Tell your doc to shop for his tools else where

Dr. Alvarez has a utube video about the gastric sleeve stapler and he shows the instrument with the staples and shows it after stapling a piece of ham. It is very educational this might answer your questions.

This is the actual link. It was loaded in May of 2011 but it will help answer some of your questions.

2bsmall thanks for posting the link for Dr. Alvarez. I watched all of the videos and feel very comfortable with the surgery now. Wish I could afford him. I can see how he could help his patients feel very at ease. Way out of my price range though. It does kindof make you wonder though how the other docs charge so much less. Ill end up with Garcia or Kelly as Ill struggle just to get into their price range.

You guys are probably right - things are so overpriced here in the US. I know this because I'm a veterinarian, and we use some of the same drugs, etc. My husband went to the ER last year for his back and was given an injection of a drug I use every day in my patient - it costs PENNIES. A whole bottle costs something like $20. He didn't see a dr and got an injection of this same drug for pain and it cost $3000. So yeah it makes sense.

But, I do wonder why some of the drs charge twice as much as the others. I know all costs involved determine the final price but I'm still curious about the discrepancies. I also agree that trusting your surgeon is the biggest part of this. But I also found some lawsuits about failed staple lines from faulty products and that's not the doctors fault. Sigh.

Your welcome I am glad it helped with your questions.

I am going to use Dr. Garcia. I am at peace with my decision after alot of research. You will be at peace also with whoever you choose. Garcia and Kelly both are good surgeons.