Intervenção Bariátrica do Porto is a specialist practice built by bariatric surgeons for people who are ready to change their lives. Its message is simple and direct: obesity is a chronic disease, but it can be treated. The practice exists to give patients a safe, well-planned and fully supported path toward better health, with surgery as one part of a much larger journey. From the first conversation to the years after the operation, the focus stays on the person, not only on the number on the scale. The team believes that real transformation happens when patients regain energy, gain confidence, build habits that last and know that someone is there to support them. As the practice puts it, it is not just about operating, it is about transforming lives. Patients are welcomed with respect and without judgement, and every question is treated as a valid one.
The practice was created for people who have often tried many diets and programmes before and who deserve a clear, medical answer. Its approach combines surgical skill with education, nutrition support and steady follow-up, so that each patient understands not only what will happen, but why it matters and how to protect the result for years to come.
Two Surgeons, More Than Three Thousand Operations
The practice is led by two bariatric surgeons, Dr. Marco Santos and Dra. Luciana Costa, both registered with the Portuguese Medical Association (Ordem dos Médicos). Together they have built up experience of more than 3,000 bariatric and metabolic operations. That level of practice matters. In a field where precision, judgement and careful planning shape every result, a team that performs this work every week brings a steadiness that patients can feel from the first appointment.
Because the practice is surgeon-led, patients know exactly who is responsible for their care. The same surgeons who explain the options are the ones who plan and perform the operation and who follow the patient afterwards. There is no hand-off to strangers and no confusion about who to call.
• Two dedicated bariatric surgeons registered with the Ordem dos Médicos
• Combined experience of more than 3,000 bariatric metabolic operations
• A practice focused on one field only: weight-loss and metabolic surgery
• The same team from first consultation through long-term follow-up
This focus is a deliberate choice. By concentrating on a single area of medicine, the surgeons stay close to the latest evidence, refine their methods continuously and build the kind of routine that supports safe, predictable care.
Obesity Treated as a Chronic Disease
Intervenção Bariátrica do Porto starts from a clear medical view: obesity is not a failure of willpower. It is a chronic disease that affects the whole body and raises the risk of many serious problems. The practice explains these risks openly so that patients understand why treatment matters and what they can gain from it.
The site highlights the areas where excess weight does the most harm, and these same areas are where patients often notice the biggest improvements after treatment:
• Heart health, with higher blood pressure and strain on the cardiovascular system
• Diabetes and its long-term complications
• Restless nights, including sleep apnoea and heavy snoring
• Constant pain in the joints and back
• A shorter life expectancy
By naming these risks plainly, the team helps patients see surgery for what it is: a medical treatment aimed at protecting their health and extending their life, not a cosmetic shortcut. This honest framing also shapes expectations. Patients are told that no operation is immune to weight regain, and that the best long-term results come when surgery is combined with a new relationship with food, regular movement and ongoing follow-up.
A Five-Step Journey With No Surprises
One of the strongest reasons to choose Intervenção Bariátrica do Porto is the clarity of its process. Patients are never left wondering what comes next. The journey is laid out in five clear steps, each with a purpose and each building on the one before it.
• Initial consultation: the surgeon listens, reviews the patient's health history and explains the options in plain language
• Nutrition assessment: a nutritionist evaluates eating habits and prepares the patient for the changes ahead
• Surgical planning: the team chooses the right approach together with the patient, based on their body, their history and their goals
• Hospital stay: usually only one or two nights
• Post-operative follow-up: structured support to guide recovery and protect long-term results
This structure gives patients confidence. They know that their plan has been built carefully, that every decision has a reason and that the team has thought through each stage in advance. It also makes it easier for patients who travel from other parts of Portugal or from abroad to plan their time, their stay and their return home.
The choice of approach is always shared. The surgeons explain the differences between the available options, including how each one works, what it asks of the patient and what results can be expected. The final decision is made together, surgeon and patient, based on clinical factors and the patient's own priorities. Patients are treated as partners in their care, not as passive recipients.
This clarity also reduces anxiety. Many people arrive after years of struggling with their weight, unsure whether surgery is right for them. A well-explained plan, with realistic expectations and no pressure, helps them move forward at their own pace and with full understanding of the commitment involved.
Life After the Operating Room
For this team, the operation is not the finish line. It is the start of a new chapter, and the months and years that follow are just as important. That is why post-operative follow-up is built into the journey from the beginning, supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes nutrition specialists.
Eating after surgery moves through clear phases. Patients begin with liquids, then progress to purées, soft foods and finally solid meals. Each stage is explained in advance so that patients feel prepared rather than uncertain. The team also gives practical guidance on building exercise routines and staying consistent with the dietary plan, because these are the habits that protect results over time.
• Step-by-step diet guidance from liquids to solid foods
• Support to build lasting exercise and eating routines
• Multidisciplinary follow-up to reduce the risk of weight regain
• Clear, honest answers to common questions about life after surgery
The practice also addresses the questions that matter most to patients in their daily lives. Women who hope to have children are told that pregnancy is possible after surgery and that the team recommends waiting until about 18 months after the operation. Patients living with type 2 diabetes learn how metabolic surgery can lead to remission when combined with good dietary habits, and what remission really means. This open, practical communication builds trust and helps patients make informed decisions.
Accessible Care, Clear Communication
Intervenção Bariátrica do Porto works to make its care easy to reach. Patients can contact the team by phone, by email or through WhatsApp, and the website offers a simple body mass index calculator so that people can understand their starting point before they even book an appointment.
The practice works with a wide range of health insurers and subsystems in Portugal, including ADSE, Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare, Allianz, SAMS, Medicare, Future Healthcare and Savida, among others. The team is also transparent about coverage, explaining which subsystem currently contributes to the cost of surgery and under what criteria. This kind of honesty about practical matters is part of what makes patients feel respected and well informed.
• Contact by phone, email or WhatsApp
• An online body mass index calculator to help patients understand their starting point
• Agreements with many health insurers and subsystems in Portugal
• Clear, published answers to frequently asked questions
• Real clinical cases shared to show what the journey looks like
For patients coming from outside Portugal, this clarity is especially valuable. A defined process, a short hospital stay and a team that communicates openly make it easier to plan travel and to feel secure while far from home.
Choosing Intervenção Bariátrica do Porto means choosing a focused, experienced and honest team that treats obesity as the serious disease it is. It means knowing your surgeons by name, understanding every step before it happens and having support long after you leave the hospital. Above all, it means working with people whose goal is not simply to operate, but to help you build a healthier, more confident and more active life that lasts.
