Mexican public hospitals expand access to intestinal bipartition for obesity and diabetes

Public specialty hospitals in Mexico are adding intestinal transit bipartition, a minimally invasive metabolic surgery aimed at severe obesity and type 2 diabetes. The move could widen treatment options for high-risk patients and ease long-term disease burdens in the public health system.

Why it matters: - Public hospitals in Mexico are broadening access to a bariatric and metabolic surgery that targets both severe obesity and type 2 diabetes. - The procedure is designed for patients who have limited options or who face higher surgical risk. - Expanding the treatment in the public sector could increase remission rates and reduce long-term dependence on chronic disease care.

What happened: - Public specialty hospitals in Mexico are now offering Intestinal Transit Bipartition, also called ITB. - The procedure is a minimally invasive metabolic and bariatric surgery that combines sleeve gastrectomy with a second digestive path to the lower small intestine. - The announcement said the rollout is part of an ongoing effort by public institutions, including the Mexican Institute for Social Security, to add advanced neuroendocrine procedures to standard care. - The news was issued from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, on September 9, 2026.

The details: - ITB keeps food moving through the upper digestive tract while also sending part of the meal directly to the ileum. - The preserved pathway is intended to support absorption of vitamins, iron and calcium. - The preserved anatomy also keeps future endoscopic access to the stomach and biliary system. - The shortcut to the ileum triggers gut hormones including GLP-1 and PYY. - Those hormonal changes are intended to suppress appetite, improve insulin sensitivity and support weight loss. - Clinical studies cited in the release show up to 85% to 90% excess weight loss. - The same studies report more than 80% complete remission of type 2 diabetes. - The studies also report lower rates of chronic malnutrition, severe anemia and vitamin malabsorption than older gastric bypass methods. - Public specialty hospitals are evaluating candidates for the procedure. - Priority is being given to adults with severe obesity plus uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome or prior surgical weight regain. - Dr. Jacqueline Osuna, a bariatric surgeon at Mexico Bariatric Center, said the procedure delivers the metabolic effects of complex bypass surgery while preserving natural gut anatomy and reducing long-term nutritional deficiency risk.

Between the lines: - The public-sector adoption signals growing confidence in procedures that aim to treat obesity and diabetes together rather than as separate problems. - The emphasis on preserving gut anatomy suggests a push for procedures that may be easier to manage long term than traditional bypass operations. - The release also highlights the role of private centers such as Mexico Bariatric Center® at Hospital Azar® in shaping awareness and surgical standards in Mexico. - The focus on board certification and safety standards points to an effort to position the procedure as both advanced and scalable across different care settings.

What's next: - Public hospitals will continue screening patients who meet the criteria for ITB. - Wider adoption could follow if early public-sector outcomes match the clinical results cited in the announcement. - The expansion may also increase access for international patients seeking metabolic surgery in Mexico. - Hospital Azar in Tijuana said it continues to offer advanced surgical care across bariatric surgery, cosmetic procedures, orthopedics, regenerative stem cell therapy and gynecology. - The hospital said dental care services are launching soon.

The bottom line: - Mexico’s public hospital system is moving a newer metabolic surgery closer to mainstream care for patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes.