If you live in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic or the Carolinas, you can fly to South Miami for surgery with Dr. Reza Keshavarzi. He is a board-certified bariatric surgeon who leads your care from a complimentary virtual consultation through your first year of follow-up.
Each pair is one of our own patients, photographed before surgery and again after weight loss. Results vary from patient to patient.
Bariatric surgery, 1 of 6
During bariatric surgery, the stomach is made smaller. Some procedures also reroute part of the digestive tract. Smaller portions then leave you full, and hunger signals ease. Dr. K uses minimally invasive techniques and works through small incisions.
Your surgery happens with us in South Miami. Nonstop flights from the Northeast reach Miami in about 2 to 3.5 hours, and Miami International Airport (MIA) is about 17 minutes from our office. Patients fly in for one surgeon who follows their case from the first call to the last follow-up visit.
Bariatric surgery is a family of procedures, not one operation. Dr. K offers surgical, endoscopic and nonsurgical options, so the recommendation follows your health rather than a single technique.
| Procedure | Approach | How It Works | Often Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gastric Sleeve | Surgical | Removes most of the stomach, leaving a narrow sleeve that holds less food and produces less of the hormone that drives hunger. | Adults with obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea. |
| Low BMI "Mini Sleeve" | Surgical | A sleeve gastrectomy planned for patients carrying less excess weight. | Patients with a BMI of 25 to 30. |
| Teen Gastric Sleeve | Surgical | A sleeve gastrectomy with care planned around a body that is still growing. | Adolescents aged 14 to 17. |
| Gastric Bypass | Surgical | Creates a small stomach pouch and reroutes part of the small intestine, limiting both how much you eat and how much you absorb. | Patients with more weight to lose, severe reflux or harder-to-control diabetes. |
| Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty | Endoscopic | Stitches the stomach smaller from the inside with an endoscope passed through the mouth, with no external incisions. | Patients who want a smaller stomach without surgery. |
| ORBERA Gastric Balloon | Endoscopic | A temporary balloon placed in the stomach so you feel full sooner while new habits take hold. | Patients who want a nonsurgical start. |
| Medical Weight Loss | Nonsurgical | Personalized plans from our weight loss specialists that can include weight loss injections. | Patients not ready for a procedure, or who want support before or after one. |
A number on the scale is only part of the picture. Dr. K reviews your weight history and any health conditions linked to your weight. He also considers what you have already tried and how ready you are for the new way of eating after surgery.
Some patients need a different first step, such as getting a medical condition under control. An endoscopic procedure or medical weight loss can come first.
Patients call Dr. Reza Keshavarzi "Dr. K." He is a board-certified bariatric surgeon and the lead surgeon at Miami VIP Surgery. He performs the surgical and endoscopic procedures described above and also oversees our medical weight loss program.
He earned his medical degree with High Distinction from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine after graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Louisville. He completed his surgical residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital and a fellowship in laparoscopic, bariatric and robotic surgery at Jackson South Medical Center.
Patients often say how easy he is to reach. In several reviews, patients describe Dr. K giving them his own cell number and checking in after they got home. That kind of access matters when you are recovering in another state, hundreds of miles from South Miami.
Your first conversation with Dr. K covers your history, your goals and your options. The consultation is virtual and complimentary, so it happens from home before you book a flight.
You will need medical clearances and an upper endoscopy, known as an EGD. These can be done with us or at an outside facility near where you live. When tests are ordered through our Miami clinic, results come back within 48 hours.
You follow a pre-surgery diet, and any weight loss injections must stop at least two weeks before your operation. Our team guides each step and coordinates travel logistics, from lab coordination to hotel stays. Once testing is done, surgery dates often open within the same month.
You can fly into MIA, about 17 minutes from our office, or Fort Lauderdale (FLL), about 48 minutes away. Dr. K performs your procedure and checks on you during your hospital stay. Our team tells you how long to stay in the Miami area before you fly home.
Most patients are back at work 4 to 7 days after surgery and avoid lifting anything over 20 pounds while they heal. Our website lays out the diet stage by stage. Once you are home, Dr. K is still reachable by phone and text.
Your first year of follow-up appointments comes with the gastric sleeve package. The surgeon who performed your operation is the same one who tracks your progress.
Our gastric sleeve price is published up front, so you can budget before you ever call us. For other procedures, the cost depends on your plan and is reviewed at your consultation.
One price covering:
Patients who find the cost of surgery difficult can ask about a special package that starts at $12,500.
Your consultation with Dr. K is complimentary.
Fall special: gastric sleeve for $12,499 when paid in full, through November 30. See the offer
Weighing surgery against long-term medication? A study shared by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery found two years of GLP-1 drugs cost about $17,000 more than sleeve gastrectomy. Read the ASMBS release
Every city below has its own page with the airport, flight time and what the trip to our South Miami office looks like. Miami International Airport is about 17 minutes from the office, and Fort Lauderdale is another option about 48 minutes away.
Fly from LaGuardia, JFK, Newark or Westchester County, about 3 hours nonstop to Miami.
Fly from Newark Liberty, about 3 hours nonstop to Miami.
Fly from Westchester County, about 3 hours from the New York area airports to Miami.
Fly from Boston Logan, about 3.5 hours nonstop to Miami.
Fly from Reagan National or Dulles, about 2.5 hours nonstop to Miami.
Fly from Philadelphia International, just under 3 hours nonstop to Miami.
Fly from Charlotte Douglas or Raleigh-Durham, about 2 hours nonstop to Miami.
Live in Florida? See the Florida areas we serve, with drive times to our office.
★★★★★4.9 average from 96 Google reviews
"Dr. Keshavarzi explained every detail of the surgery from getting prepared, to the actual day of surgery, and beyond."
Hannah S., Google review
"Dr. Keshavarzi was with us throughout the whole process and was even contacting us once home to see if everything was running smoothly."
Yerandis L., Google review
"From my 1st visit he made me feel at ease with my decision to pursue bariatric surgery."
Yesi, Google review
No. Consultations are virtual, so you can meet Dr. K from home. Your trip to South Miami is for the surgery itself, after your plan and testing are complete.
Our self-pay gastric sleeve package is $14,000. It covers your hospital stay, the surgeon's fee, hospital fees and first-year follow-up. Cherry financing is available. Pricing for other procedures is reviewed at your consultation.
Most patients make one trip, for surgery. Your consultation and planning happen virtually, so there is no need to fly in early. Our team tells you how long to stay in the Miami area after surgery before you head home, and helps with travel logistics from lab coordination to hotel stays.
Yes. Your medical clearances and upper endoscopy can be done with us or at an outside facility closer to home. We tell you which tests you need. Results ordered through our Miami clinic come back within 48 hours, and our team reviews them with Dr. K.
Results vary with your starting weight, your procedure and how closely you stick to the post-surgery diet. Weight tends to drop fastest in the first months. At your consultation, Dr. K gives you a realistic estimate for the procedure you choose.
You need to stop them at least two weeks before your operation. Dr. K can also help you decide whether medication, surgery or a combination suits your goals.
Book a complimentary virtual consultation from home, wherever you live. You will come away with a clear plan: the procedure that fits, the tests you need and when you could fly in for surgery.
