General Surgery in Mexico City

General surgery is a surgical specialty that deals with a wide range of common ailments on almost any part of the body but typically focuses on treating diseases and injuries of the abdomen, including the esophagus, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, liver, appendix, gallbladder, and bile ducts. It also deals with diseases that involve the breasts, skin, soft tissue, digestive system, and endocrine system glands. 

Despite the term “general,” general surgeons are highly skilled surgeons. They can be found practicing many types of surgery, but they may also specialize in a type of surgery, such as treating cancer, which requires the skill to perform procedures on multiple areas of the body. 

Some common surgeries that are performed by general surgeons are as follows:

• Appendectomy.
• Breast surgery for cancerous and non-cancerous tumors, including breast biopsy, lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery or partial mastectomy), and mastectomy. 
• Colon and rectal surgery, including colectomy, colostomy, and hemorrhoidectomy.
• Esophageal surgery, including esophagectomy, acid reflux surgery, and excision of an esophageal lesion.
• Gastroenterology procedures, such as gastric bypass surgery, upper GI endoscopy, and liver biopsy.
• Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy).
• Hernia repair.
• Varicose vein removal.
• Thyroid removal.
• Transplant, such as kidney and liver transplantations.
• Spleen removal.
• Wound repair.

How Long Should I Stay in Mexico City?

Your length of stay depends on the type of surgery you underwent. In general, you should wait for at least seven to ten days before you travel home, sometimes extending to 14 days. During your stay, you will need to rest as much as possible and let your body recover. In some cases, your surgeon may schedule a follow-up visit to evaluate your healing and, if needed, remove any stitches.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time can be different from one person to another, depending on the type of surgery you have and your general health. Anytime you have some sort of incision, you will have to wait until that incision has healed completely until you can go back to your full normal routine. Your surgeon will give you an idea of how long your recovery time can take. It can take a few weeks until you are allowed to return to work, and you may need to gradually increase your activity level until you can resume all of your normal activity.

What Aftercare is Required?

To speed your recovery time and avoid complications, it is important to follow the instructions you are given. Even a simple instruction, such as no baths after your surgery, may not seem meaningful, but your surgeon would not instruct it without good reason. You will need to have regular checkups after your surgery, but you can typically choose to have the checkups with your local doctor at home if you cannot make multiple travels to Mexico City. 

What's the Success Rate?

With new techniques, advanced technology, and extensive experience of general surgeons, the success and safety rate for general surgery continues to increase. For example, general surgeons can now use laparoscopic techniques or perform robot-assisted surgery to minimize the risk and increase the success rate of surgery. These new techniques are possible thanks to continuous research and advancement in general surgery. Still, no surgical procedure is risk-free. All types of surgery generally carry the risk of bleeding, infection, and damage to other organs. 

Are there Alternatives?

There is typically no alternative to general surgery. However, if your doctor suspects that you need a specific specialist for your disease or injury, they will refer you to the relevant specialist. 

General Surgery in and around Mexico City

About Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and is the largest and populated city with a population of around 9 million, whereas the greater metropolitan area has around 21.2 million.

Mexico City is not only the political, administrative, and financial center of Mexico but also a major center for medical tourism within the country. It is a popular destination for affordable and quality medical care for many US and Canadian citizens and recently has started to attract Europeans and some Asian medical.

The City offers health care facilities and procedures at international standards and at a fraction of the cost when compared to the US and other countries. According to the Ministry of Health in Mexico, the competitive cost of medical care in the country allows an average saving of about 50% to 70% in various treatments and surgical procedures, and with the added benefit of small waiting times.

Mexico City offers state-of-the-art medical care in Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Cardiology, Orthopaedic, fertility treatments, and dental procedures. It has many famous hospitals with well-trained and board-certified doctors, and advanced medical equipment. Medica Sur, Hospital Espagnol, and Hospital Angeles, Dentalia Mexico City, and Ortopedia DF are some renowned hospitals and clinics in Mexico City. They have private rooms with all modern facilities and offer high standards of nursing care and the hospital staff all speak good English, which makes communication very easy.

Popular Areas in Mexico City

The City is located in the valley of Mexico and is surrounded by Mountains and two stunning snow-covered volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl tower above it. Though the city is very large, most of the popular attractions are in the historic city center, ‘Centro Historico de la Ciudad’. This is a 5.8 square mile UNESCO World Heritage site that has more than 14,000 important structures from the 16th to 19th Century.

Some important landmarks to visit in Mexico City are –

• Zocalo – The Constitution Square is right at the heart of the city. It measures around 240 meters in each direction and is the largest square in the world. The three major tourist attractions, the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor dominate this area.
• The National Palace –is the official seat of power of the President and is situated on the east side of the Zocalo, The combination of history, beautiful architecture, and the best Diego Rivera murals in Mexico City make it a must-visit destination.
• Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral – Made out of basalt and grey sandstone, this structure rests on top of the old Aztec temple precinct. It is one of the oldest and largest churches in the western hemisphere. Its prominent features are the bell towers and the statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity on the Clock Tower.
• Templo Mayor – It comprises the remains of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (of the Aztec period). It includes the finely sculpted circular disc which is more than three meters in diameter and weighs eight-and-a-half tons.
• The National Museum of Anthropology – One of the famous museums in the world and is in Chapultepec Park. It is very prominent due to the large monolithic figure at its entrance. It has a vast and impressive collection of archaeological discoveries and information about the life of the contemporary Indian inhabitants of Mexico.

The Palace of Fine Arts, Chapultepec Park, National History Museum, and Paseo de la Reforma and the Angel of Independence are other important landmarks of the city.

Weather and Climate in Mexico City

Mexico City has a subtropical climate because of its location in the high plateaus. It experiences mild and pleasant weather throughout the year. Summers are warm and winters are mild. The annual average temperature is 64°F. The temperature does not vary much throughout the year but the warmest month is May and the coldest is January. The average maximum temperature in summer is 77°F and the average winter temperature is 45°F.

The average annual rainfall of Mexico City is high at 33.31 inches (846.0 mm). June to September is the rainy season, with July being the wettest month. During the summer, there can be a few spells of rain.

The City has dry periods from January to April and November to December. February is the driest month of the year.

Getting Around in Mexico City

You can reach Mexico City by flying into Mexico International Airport which is known as Benito Juarez International Airport. It is the busiest airport in Mexico and serves many airlines. The major Mexican airlines Aeromexico and Aeromexico Connect operate flights to many Latin American cities and domestic and international destinations from this airport. Many American Carriers also have direct flights to Mexico City. Domestic carriers like Interjet and Volaris also operate out of the airport, connecting Mexico City to other domestic cities. The other airport in the city, Licenciado Adolfo Lopez Mateos International Airport (TLC) services low-cost domestic airlines.

There are many bus operators that offer bus service from US cities to Mexico City. The City also offers a well-planned transportation system to get around in which is the metro system, the downtown rail, light rail, normal buses, BRT (bus rapid transport), minibusses, and trolleybuses. Public transportation is very cost-effective and efficient, but can also be very crowded.

If you don’t want to travel by public transport, then you can choose Uber and other private taxi services. They are a bit more expensive but are stress-free.   

Tourist Visas in Mexico City

Foreign Nationals wanting to enter Mexico must get a visa in advance unless they belong to any of the 67 eligible visa-exempt countries like the United States, UK, Canada, and Australia, or one of the three Electronic Authorization System eligible countries. Mexico also offers visa exemption to the people of any nationality who have a valid visa from the US, UK, Canada. They can travel to Mexico with their valid passports and can stay for up to 180 days.

However, citizens of countries like India, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, and many other countries need to apply and get a visa in advance to travel to Mexico for tourism.

Additional Information

• The currency used in Mexico City is the national currency of Mexico, the Mexican Peso (MXN). You can exchange your national currency for Pesos at any of the banks, or at Foreign Exchange Bureaus. The currency value of one US dollar is 18.84 MXN. You can also use your debit, credit, and travel cards in the city.
• Mexico City has all the major national and international banks. In such a large city, there are no shortages of ATMs.
• Spanish is the language widely spoken in Mexico City. Nahuatl, Otomi, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Mazahuaare are other commonly spoken indigenous languages. Due to the large expat population, English is also popular in the city.
• The family community is an important aspect of Mexican life. The locals are very conscious of their responsibilities towards their family members.
• Catholic Christianity or Roman Catholicism is the major religion in Mexico City. 83% of the population follow this religion.
• You will find the City celebrating Mexican holidays, both historic and religious throughout the year. Some of the important holidays are the –
  • Constitution Day – First Monday of February
  • Benito Juarez Day – Third Monday in March
  • Independence Day – September 16
  • Revolution Day – Third Monday in November
  • Navidad (Christmas) – December 25