Treatment from abroad follows a defined sequence, coordinated by a dedicated patient coordinator: consultation, surgical planning, pre-operative preparation, surgery in San José, recovery, and follow-up after you return home. This page sets out each stage.
Individual timelines vary, but every case follows the same structure: preparation, surgery, and follow-up that continues after you return home.
Submit your medical history and photographs securely. Dr. Urzola reviews each case personally and advises on whether explant is indicated. Consultations are confidential and carry no obligation.
You receive a surgical plan and an itemized written quote, valid for six months. A booking deposit secures your surgical date. See how pricing works →
The coordinator provides a checklist of required tests: CBC, PT, blood type, pregnancy test, EKG and breast ultrasound, plus a mammogram for patients aged 40 or over. In the weeks before surgery, certain medications and herbal supplements are stopped approximately fifteen days ahead, alcohol is avoided for one week, and smoking should be discontinued approximately one month prior.
Most patients arrive two to three days before surgery. This allows time to rest after travel, meet the team, and complete any final pre-operative checks.
The procedure is performed at CIMA, an internationally accredited hospital (JCI-standard), under general anesthesia with a dedicated anesthesiology team. You will fast for eight hours beforehand and arrive approximately one hour early. Do not wear jewelry, make-up or nail polish.
Plan to stay approximately ten days after surgery. During this period you will rest in recovery lodging, be monitored regularly, and complete your first follow-up and drain removal before travelling home.
Follow-up continues after you return home. The coordinator and Dr. Urzola remain reachable for questions, scar and garment guidance, and check-ins through the weeks and months of recovery.
The tests to complete and the steps to take before surgery. The coordinator confirms each item with you.
The following outlines the expected course of recovery in the weeks after surgery.
Drains. You may be discharged with a Jackson-Pratt drain to collect fluid during healing. The team demonstrates how to empty and record output, and removes the drain at your follow-up before you travel home.
Recovery has a psychological as well as a physical component. Patients report a range of emotional responses following explant surgery. The care team is available to discuss these alongside the clinical aspects of recovery.
How the itemized written quote works, and the ancillary costs stated in advance.
View pricing →Travel to San José, the hospital and office, and recovery accommodation.
Plan your travel →Explant, en-bloc, muscle repair and related surgical detail.
See procedures →Submit your history for review by Dr. Urzola. Consultations are confidential and carry no obligation.