Mexico & Central America

Patients from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize see Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz in Miami, with care in Spanish.

Patients from Mexico and across Central America travel to Miami to see Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz. Most capitals are only two to three hours away by nonstop flight, and care is available entirely in Spanish: Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is fluent in Spanish, and so is our office team.

Why patients travel from the region

Revisions and complications. Weight regain, reflux after a sleeve, ulcers or strictures after a previous operation, including surgery done in another country. See revisional bariatric surgery.
Weight-loss and metabolic surgery. Sleeve, bypass, SADI-S and duodenal switch for obesity and type 2 diabetes. See bariatric and metabolic surgery.
Reflux and hiatal hernia. Anti-reflux surgery, hiatal and paraesophageal hernia repair and redo and revisional foregut surgery.
Experience. More than 25 years in practice, more than 9,000 bariatric operations and over 15,000 minimally invasive procedures.

Countries covered by this page

Mexico. Nonstop flights from Mexico City (about 3 hours), Cancún (under 2 hours), Monterrey and Guadalajara; connections from other cities.
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Guatemala City, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula have nonstop flights of about 2½ hours.
Nicaragua. Managua, about 2½ hours.
Costa Rica. San José and Liberia, about 2½ to 3 hours.
Panama. Panama City, about 3 hours, with many daily flights.
Belize. Belize City, about 2 hours.

Flight times are approximate; check current schedules with your airline.

How the process works

Video consultation in Spanish or English. Send your records, including operative reports from any earlier surgery, and meet Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz from home.
Testing in your country. Labs, imaging and medical clearance are done with your own doctors when possible; our team sends the orders and reviews the results.
Visa and passport. You need a valid passport and a U.S. visa. The B-2 visitor visa covers travel for medical treatment; wait times for visa appointments can be long in some countries, so start early.
7 to 9 days in Miami. Arrive the day before surgery, spend one night in the hospital, and stay in Miami for 7 to 9 days in total (3 to 5 days for a shorter procedure), with a follow-up visit before flying home once cleared. Bring a companion for the first 24 to 48 hours.
Follow-up from home. Video visits at about 1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and then yearly, with labs coordinated through your local doctor.

If a problem comes up after you return home, go to the nearest hospital and ask them to contact our team. See the out-of-town patient guide and the Miami Bariatric Destination Program.

Insurance and payment

Most patients from Mexico and Central America pay directly (self-pay), and our team provides a quote before you travel. If you have international health insurance, check whether it covers surgery in the United States and whether it requires pre-approval; we provide the documentation you need to request reimbursement. Contact our office about payment options.

Contact our office

Book a video consultation in Spanish or English. Our office team speaks Spanish, and Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is fluent in Spanish, so you can call and write in whichever language you prefer.