For patients in Raleigh, Cary and across the Triangle, surgery usually means one planned trip to South Miami. Dr. Reza Keshavarzi, a board-certified bariatric surgeon, guides your care from a complimentary 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
These procedures shrink the stomach, and some also reroute part of the digestive tract. Smaller meals leave you satisfied, and hunger tends to ease. Dr. K uses minimally invasive techniques, working through small incisions.
The whole process is built around a single trip. From downtown Raleigh, Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 18 minutes via Wade Ave and I-40, and a nonstop flight reaches Miami in about 2 hours. Our team coordinates the logistics, and one surgeon follows your case from start to finish.
There is no single weight loss operation that suits everyone. Dr. K provides surgical, endoscopic and nonsurgical treatments, so your recommendation is based on your health, not on one preferred method.
| 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. |
Your weight alone does not decide whether surgery fits. Dr. K reviews how your weight has changed over time, the conditions linked to it, the approaches you have already tried and how prepared you are for new eating habits after surgery.
For some patients, another step makes sense first, like bringing a health condition under control. Medical weight loss or an endoscopic procedure may come before surgery.
Dr. Keshavarzi, whom patients call Dr. K, is a board-certified bariatric surgeon and lead surgeon at Miami VIP Surgery. He performs the surgical and endoscopic procedures above and directs 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.
Reviews describe Dr. K giving out his personal cell number and checking in after patients got home. That kind of access helps when you are recovering in North Raleigh or Wake Forest, a flight away from his office.
Share your history, goals and questions with Dr. K. Consultations can be virtual, so you can start this step from home before booking any travel.
You will need medical clearances and an upper endoscopy, also called an EGD. Complete them with us or at an outside facility closer to home. Results ordered through our Miami clinic return within 48 hours.
A pre-surgery diet comes next, and weight loss injections stop at least two weeks before your operation. Our team helps at every step, and once testing is done, dates often open within the same month.
Dr. K performs your operation and visits you during your hospital stay. Before you fly home to Raleigh, our team tells you how long to plan to stay in the Miami area.
Most people are back at work 4 to 7 days after surgery and avoid lifting more than 20 pounds while healing. Our website has diet plans for each stage, and Dr. K remains reachable by phone and text.
Your first year of follow-up appointments is included in the gastric sleeve package, so the surgeon who operated on you keeps tracking your progress.
Our gastric sleeve price is published openly, so you can budget before you ever call us. Costs for other procedures depend on your plan and are discussed 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.
★★★★★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
Not at all. Consultations are virtual, so you can meet Dr. K from home in Raleigh. The trip to South Miami comes later, for the surgery itself, once your plan and testing are set.
The gastric sleeve package is $14,000. It includes the hospital stay and first-year follow-up, and Cherry financing is available. Pricing for other procedures is reviewed at your consultation.
Usually no one factor rules you out. Dr. K looks at your health history, the medications you take, your medical clearances and how ready you are for new eating habits after surgery. When surgery is not the best place to begin, medical weight loss or an endoscopic procedure can come first.
You can. The required clearances and upper endoscopy can be completed with us or at an outside facility closer to home. Our team explains which tests you need, and Dr. K reviews the results.
Results vary with your starting weight, the procedure you have and how closely you stick to the post-surgery diet. Most weight tends to come off in the early months. At your consultation, Dr. K gives you a realistic estimate for your procedure.
Plan 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.
Start your single, planned trip with a complimentary virtual consultation from Raleigh or Durham. You will learn which procedure fits, which tests you need and when surgery could happen.
