FAQs
General Questions
Why should I use Cosmetic Bliss?
Do your team and the surgeons speak English?
Can I bring friends or family with me?
Do you offer finance?
If the surgeon is based abroad, how can he decide what kind of procedure will be best for me - he is not able to see me beforehand?
What if there are complications after my surgery - can I stay in hospital longer?
How can I prepare myself for my procedure?
Weight Loss Questions
Will I have the opportunity to ask the surgeon questions?
Can I have my surgery even though I’m on medication?
What risks are there in Bariatric Surgery?
Is it safe to fly after having my surgery?
Can I eat whatever I wish after my obesity procedure?
If I decide on a Gastric Band, how many LAP-BAND adjustments will I need?
After my procedure, and when I’ve lost weight will I have excess loose skin all over my body and need cosmetic surgery?
Will I have on-going support and contact after my procedure
General Questions
Why should I use Cosmetic Bliss?
Cosmetic Bliss offers bariatric (weight loss) surgery and cosmetic procedures of the highest quality with the best Czech surgeons and clinics, at affordable prices.
Our experienced team gives you a personal, friendly service and individual post-operative aftercare. We are there for you on your return to the U.K to offer advice and help, to discuss your experiences with you, and we make it our business to check to see how you are progressing after your surgery.
Do your team and the surgeons speak English?
We are a British organisation, based in the U.K. and all of our team are U.K. residents. Our partners in the Czech Republic were carefully chosen on a number of criteria, not least of which was the ability to communicate with our U.K. patients in clear English. We recognise how important it is for you, coming to a foreign country, to be reassured that the surgeons and others who will be caring for you can understand your needs and requirements and are able to make you feel comfortable. During your stay in the Czech Republic Deborah and Michael will be there to make sure all is well
Can I bring friends or family with me?
Yes, you can bring friends or family. We welcome this for patients coming for Cosmetic Surgery, when the stay in the clinic is often quite short but you may spend several days in the hotel, returning to the clinic for check-ups as an outpatient and sometimes it is nice to have someone close to you with you to keep you company. Please bear in mind that during your stay at the clinic or hospital the person(s) accompanying you will have to pay for their accommodation at the hotel - though we will arrange this for you.
For Weight Loss Surgery patients coming to Breclav Hospital we do not recommend bringing relatives or friends. You will be staying in the hospital throughout your visit until you fly home. Breclav is 45 minutes from Brno and the hospital is approx 1 km from the town centre. Visiting is only permitted after the day of surgery and visiting times are strictly limited to between 3 pm and 5 pm. We can advise relatives of train times and how best to get to the hospital when they arrive in Brno, although the focus of all our attention will (quite rightly) be on you as the patient.
Do you offer finance?
Not directly, but finance for all our procedures can be provided by various institutions. It may be best to discuss financing your procedure first of all with your own bank or a financial institution you already deal with.
We have given three possible links for you to follow.
If the surgeon is based abroad, how can he decide what kind of procedure will be best for me - he is not able to see me beforehand?
The surgeon uses the questionnaire and photographs sent by you for his pre-consultation. With this it is possible to work out the best type of surgeryto suit you, the price and the length of stay required. We are happy to discuss any procedure with you and answer any questions you may have The completed questionnaire enables your surgeon to give his opinion prior to your arrival and the face to face final pre-op meeting, where he will discuss the best procedure for you, to ensure you are entirely satisfied and fully informed and answer any questions you may have.
What if there are complications after my surgery - can I stay in hospital longer?
Yes, in fact if there are any complications after your surgery you will not be released from the hospital or clinic until the surgeon is completely satisfied. Weight Loss Surgery patients have the security of Surgery Cost Protection, which is a free benefit paying up to 150,000 Czceh Koruna (approx £5,000) to cover any costs involved in re-operations or extended stays in ICU following the surgical procedure. Complications following weight loss surgery are rare, but they can happen. No other provider offers this benefit, if you arranged your surgery elsewhere, and had to stay longer in hospital because of complications, you would be expected to pay the costs out of your own pocket!
How can I prepare myself for my procedure?
Once the date of your surgery is confirmed, you shall receive from us pre-operative instructions with details of what you can do to prepare for your surgery. These vary according to the procedure, but in all cases it is recommended to stop smoking well before surgery.
Weight Loss Questions
Will I have the opportunity to ask the surgeon questions?
Yes of course. You will meet with Dr Cierny and his team the day before surgery for a pre-surgery consultation. You will find that he is very approachable and open to answering all of your questions.
Can I have my surgery even though I’m on medication?
Many of our weight loss surgery candidates are on medication. Please ensure that we have been informed of any medical conditions associated with excess weight, such as Diabetes II or heart problems. This should all be covered in the pre-surgery questionnaires. Stop taking any medication for thinning the blood such as Aspirin or Warfarin 10 days before travelling. If you are unsure or unclear about this, please contact us. We will send you information before your surgery to enable you to prepare fully.
What risks are there in Bariatric Surgery?
All forms of surgery carry a degree of risk, but in evaluating you for suitability for Bariatric surgery it must be borne in mind that the risk of an operation is much lower than the risk of staying morbidly obese on a waiting list for treatment.
Even though surgery is performed with great skill and care there is a small possibility of a complication during the operation or postoperatively. These complications are rare, and part of the reason Dr Cierny insists on your staying in the clinic for four days after your surgery is to be able to monitor you closely and ensure your complete recovery.
The most frequently reported compilcations in Bariatric surgery are:
Peroperative bleeding – (a bleed during the operation) This can be usually controlled during the procedure by ultrasound hemostasis or electrocoagulation. In less than 1% transfusion or frozen plasma is required for blood substitution and improvement of the hemostatic properties of the blood. Postoperative continuing or recurrent bleeding should be signalled by the abdominal drainage. In case of insufficiency of conservative treatment a reoperation may be required, yet this is extremely rare.
Perforation of stomach, oesophagus or intestine is also an extremely rare complication. If recognised during the operation and repaired by a suture it has very good prognosis. If unrecognised early, it may cause a bacterial spillage of the peritoneal cavity with possible more serious consequences often requiring either an open or a laparoscopic re-operation.
Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is a possible complication correlating with the length of the operation and immobilisation. Rarely it may emerge even if all recommended prophylactic measures are taken. Early postoperative physical activity and mobilisation on the first day are very important as a prophylactic measure. Heparin ‘B’ is given to prevent thrombosis.
Superficial and dermal lesion – may emerge as a consequence of a heavy body, of a local compression or a local reaction to disinfection solution and burn injury from short circuit of electric current.
Bacterial infection of the wound or of the foreign body is the most common complication that requires usually removal of the foreign material and prolonged local treatment with antibiotics and repeated change of the wound dressing.
Is it safe to fly after having my surgery?
It is safe to fly home after your surgery. Low weight heparin 'B' is administered to prevent thrombosis, so there should be less risk than usual.
Can I eat whatever I wish after my obesity procedure?
There will almost certainly be a need to change your eating habits. In the first instance, after the Gastric Band you may not take fluid with you meals. You will need to emulsify solid food for a while, and eat 4-5 small meals a day. It is important for you to get a good intake of proteins and so a good healthy balanced diet is recommended.Dr Cierny and Cassandra, our Nutritionist, will give you individual advice, and Cassandra will be in regular contact with you throughout the period of your post-operative weight loss.
The procedure you will undergo is merely the first step in a major lifestyle adjustment and change. After surgery, we will need your long-term co-operation. You'll have to adopt new dietary habits and exercise regularly. Surgery in itself will not change your basic behaviour patterns. This means that the operation is not a definitive solution to your eating pattern or the problem of overweight or obesity. It will, however, allow sustainable and long-term weight loss and therefore lead to a healthier and much better quality of life with much less risk of secondary obesity related diseases.
If I decide on a Gastric Band, how many LAP-BAND adjustments will I need?
Our Lap-Band package includes 3 free adjustments in the UK. Most patients will "hit the sweet spot" - in other words reach the most effective restriction which still allows them to eat solid food without discomfort, yet sufficiently limits the intake of food and removes hunger , enabling them to sustain a healthy weight loss, by the third fill. Sometimes a further adjustment is needed, and it is recommended that thereafter an annual check is made on the saline in the band.
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After my procedure, and when I’ve lost weight will I have excess loose skin all over my body and need cosmetic surgery?
You will probably need to have a tummy tuck later; many obesity surgery patients who have lost significant body mass as a result of successful surgery do. Some patients might also need liposuction, breast uplift, and an arm lift or a thigh lift. We recognise the need for this and will give you advice on post-weight loss cosmetic surgery when the time comes.
Will I have on-going support and contact after my procedure?
Yes. On- going support and monitoring of your weight loss and overall state of health is a very important part of your successful adjustment to your new life after weight loss surgery.
At Cosmetic Bliss we are on hand to give you advice and help, and will keep in regular contact with you. Also your surgeon, Dr Cierny, will wish to keep a careful check on your progress, and he asks us to give him regular reports on your weight and your progress in the months after your procedure. When you agree to come to us for your Obesity solution, you also make a commitment to maintain regular and frequent contact with us. This post-procedure aftercare is as much a part of successful weight loss as the surgery itself - and we are absolutely determined that you make a success of your procedure, which is why we insist on your staying in touch with us so we can help, advise and encourage you.
