Roberto A. Rumbaut Bariatric Surgeon

Dr. Rumbaut Rocks!
I am not going to write about Dr. Rumbaut's credentials or how he is so highly regarded by his peers and patients in the WLS community. He rocks, but he's human.

Dr. Rumbaut and his team were everything personally and professionally that I expected, and I had very high expectations!

He and his staff in Monterrey are a lot of fun, very professional and easy to work with. You're not just another patient or number and it shows. When you love what you do, it shows.

As I am writing this, I am 4 weeks post-op so I can only comment on the aftercare up to this point. The care after surgery was very good. My pain was kept under control and I had additional pain due to a 3cm abdominal hernia. Dr. Rumbaut recommended to have it repaired once I loose my weight to ensure that it will hold and heal easier. I was not the "normal" patient, and was glad that Dr. Rumbaut was my surgeon. The long distance aftercare is what I will be dealing with now and will add to this question later when I can comment with experience.

Overall, I would highly recommend Dr. Rumbaut to anyone, but especially to those that are self pay and rest assured that you are going to one of the best lap band dr's in the world! Dr. Rumbaut works out of a very modern hospital in Monterrey. My hospital room was nicer than any U.S. hospital that I have been in and I wasn't in one of Dr. Rumbaut's suites!

Dr. Rumbaut is a very skilled and competent lap surgeon and it's an added plus that he has such a great personality. But then, his entire staff ROCKS!

I have spoken with Dr. Rumbaut and his assistant and they were both wonderful answered all of my quiestions gave me there personal cell numbers and said I could call anytime. The lady that helps with scheduling cathy pickren is wonderful has answered all of my emails and quiestions right away and also my mothers always have gotten a call back asap.

Dr. Rumbaut and his entire staff are fantastic! He is a bandster himself! Great personality and a great surgeon!

Wow! My experience with Dr.Rumbaut was beyond belief. I set out for Monterrey, Mexico on 8/19/05. Little did I know at that time that I would soon end up in Dr. Rumbauts office? Originally I planned to use another Surgeon because I was such a hurry to have my surgery. After arriving in Monterrey not feeling very comfortable with what I saw of the Hospital/Clinic where my surgery was to be performed. I decided to go straight over to San Jose Hospital to find Dr.Rumbaut. Luckily I knew of him prior to leaving Florida. Once I arrived at his office. I explained my situation to his assistant Dr. Adrian & other office staff. They contacted him immediately. He then spoke with me on the phone & met me latter that night in his office. He then made arrangements for us to stay at the Hampton Inn. Which I might add is a really nice Hotel. Sent me for pre-ops on Saturday morning & did my lap-band surgery first thing on Monday 8/22/05. What doctor in the States would do that on a moments notice? Dr.Rumbaut is a kind, caring, highly skilled Surgeon. He has compassion & truly cares for his patients. Having been banded himself for 7 years now he understands because he to was once like all of us. On a scale of 1- 10. I would rate Dr. Rumbaut a 10 + + + I highly recommend Dr.Rumbaut as a Surgeon. He is a Doctor that really does care about you.

My first impression of Dr. Rumbaut was that he is very congenial. He also looked much thinner than his pictures on the internet. Since he has the band himself, he showed me his before picture. What a change! He is a very busy man, but also very caring. He came to see me in preop, talked to me in the surgery room (before going under) and visited me twice before leaving the hospital. After leaving the hospital, his assistant Adrian checked on me twice, and Dr. Rumbaut came by again to see me before leaving.

I can´t begin to explain how easy going Dr. Rumbaut is. I felt comfortable with him immediately. He is personable beyond belief and has no ego. When I was in the hospital, and he checked on me, I asked if he could send a nurse in to help me get my slippers from under the bed. He got on all fours on the floor and got them out for me! Not too many docs in the states who would do that. He addressed all my questions and concerns from the time of scheduling the surgery to follow-up after the surgery.

Dr. Rumbaut has an aftercare program set up with his nutrionalist Lizette. He is also concerned with vitamin intake after surgery, and even let me sample some of the vitamins he currently takes. On a scale of 1 to 10, Dr. Rumbaut & his staff rate a
10 +. I´d recommend him without hesitation.

Dr. Rumbaut is very cordial. He speaks perfect English. I had read about him extensively over the internet and knew he was a very experienced lap band surgeon. I choose him because of his experience. I choose Mexico because of the cost! Dr. Rumbaut has a wonderful office staff who took very good care of me from the time I arrived at the airport until I took a flight back home. Everything was arranged for me. Everyone in the office spoke perfect English which was very important because the Hospital Staff in general does not speak English. I especially liked his anesthesiologist. I told him I was a smoker and concerned about the risks of anesthesia and I trusted him to handle it for me. As for aftercare, they do offer, for a reasonable fee, consultations with the dietician where you can ask questions and follow up. I only had the surgery a week and a half ago so it's too soon to tell much yet about aftercare. Dr. Rumbaut did come to see me in the hospital room after I got out of recovery, as did his assistant but then he had to go out of town and I didn't see or talk to him again. His assistant did release me from the hospital and followed up with a phone call to my hotel room later in the evening, but I didn't have a visit from anyone in person again. However, I did have an early flight scheduled the following morning so it's possible I didn't give anyone time to come see me again. I didn't get to see Dr. Rumbaut in the operating room before I was put under by the anesthesiologist either, which was a disappointment, but maybe that is the norm. This was my first surgery so I don't know! But I will say that I was totally confident in Dr. Rumbaut's reputation and experience and I still am. The main mistake I made, which I would advise against, is I went alone. Even though his staff takes great care of you, when you are out of surgery and hurting and trying to communicate with the floor nurses, it is not a good time to be alone. You are very emotional anyway. I was crying and frustrated because I couldn't figure out how to call the United States from the hospital room phone! So, if you go to Mexico, I would suggest taking a friend for support! I will note, however, that Dr. Rumbaut did call my best friend after surgery just like he promised and told her how it went! She was very impressed that he called her himself!

Dr. Rumbaut is a well educated, knowledgeable surgeon. Upon meeting him in Mexico I immediately felt better about the whole going to Mexico for surgery thing. My surgery went fine and I have done well since (down 80 pounds).

As far as my continuing impression of Dr. Rumbaut - I was disappointed. After my surgery I never saw him again except for a few short minutes that evening in the hospital. I was seen for follow up by one of his associates who was very nice. But I felt like there should have been more concern and follow up by Dr. Rumbaut, his staff and also his US contacts after my sugery. I came away with the bad impression that once they got my money they were done with me.

I really was not given any aftercare information other than some random diet instructions for the first month. I was provided with a contact doctor back in the states to provide my fills, and was again disappointed. It took numerous calls and conversations to get an appointment and then my appointment was rescheduled a couple of different times.

With that experience under my belt I took control of the situation and searched out my own follow up doctor. I was lucky to find this site, and it ultimately led me to Dr. Hugh Houston in Nashville. He is WONDERFUL! I called and talked to his assistant Holli and had an appointment within a few days. Our first meeting was a little tense - Dr. Houston is understandingly not too happy at first about taking on a patient that had surgery out of the country. I felt mine was justified since I was self pay and did not know how I would ever self pay locally. Looking back I can see where there might have been a way to have gone Dr. Houston from the start - but I can't change the past - I can only improve upon the future.

I have always been up front and honest with Dr. Houston and I have really worked hard to make my band a success. I have embraced his aftercare and feel like in the 7+ months of working with Dr. H I have gained his respect and confidence in me as well. I am so glad I found him and his program. He is great and I would recommend him to anyone!

Will complete this section after surgery. Surgery date Lap-band 7/26/05

Ok, so I'm about a week post-op now.

When I first entered the Dr's office I was impressed with the cleanliness down to the wooden floors and the artwork. Dr. Rumbaut's personal office was even more impressive. He has a widespread of family portraits spreadout on his immaculate , enormous desk and on the left side of the wall there a plasma screen on the wall so he can do some presentations. It was a pleasure meeting all his staff they are so humble and nice. It felt like they were all long time friends. You have contact with someone at all times fron his office if needed. Dr. Rodriguez is a Cutie! OMG! LoL! We also met with Dr. R's nutritionist and were given dietary papers to follow for post-op care.
Great hospital care, very pleased! Dr. Rumbaut put me and my husband in the Master Suite for our hospital stay, very impressive!
Only thing negative is that they are in Monterrey and we are far away in Washington State.

Dr. Rumbaut was extremely personable, forthright and informative. Pre-op testing was thorough but done in a streamlined fashion so that it didn't take all day. Six other patients from the states were having gastric bands placed on that same day, so we really bonded--his staff made sure we got to know each other. His dietition met with me to discuss postop diet. An aftercare program was offered at substantial additional cost (around $2000). During the consultations, he always made me feel he had all the time in the world for me. All other physicians and surgeons I have spoken with were so vague and condescending; Dr. Rumbaut is refreshingly specific, accessible and candid. The hospital room was as lovely and comfortable as a very nice hotel. Future patients should know that the Doctor and his staff also take excellent care of your travelling companions, as well. While I don't know the long term results of the surgery, in the short term, my pain and scarring are minimal. I have concluded that my easy recovery is largely a result of Dr. Rumbaut's unparalleled technical competence.

It is two weeks after surgery, and I'm very happy with the surgeon, his office, and the rest of Dr. Rumbaut's team.

I found out about Dr. Rumbaut through the OH website. I read the profiles of his patients, and that of other patients that went to other surgeons in Mexico. I selected Dr. Rumbaut because of those detailed descriptions. With Dr. Rumbaut there was no mention of people doing work without gloves, or things being unclean, or unreturned messages and calls. With Dr. Rumbaut there were healthcare professionals who said Dr. Rumbaut and the San Jose Hospital provided a higher level of service than available in the US.

Prior to surgery Dr. Rumbaut and his team answered any and all of my questions. After surgery Dr. Rumbaut or one (or more) of his surgeons visited me every day (except Sunday) at the hospital or at the hotel. When we decided to leave Mexico 2 days early to avoid Emily (the hurricaine would be a tropical storm by the time it got to Monterrey) his office helped change our travel arranagements. One of his doctors came to the hotel at 9:30 at night, after a full day, to check me out and provide the medical information for my medical files in the US.

I had a planned gallbladder removal at the same time as the Lap RNY. When I ended up staying an extra day in the hospital, I did not receive an extra charge for it.

All and all, very impressed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.