Estudio cualitativo

Surgeons’ and payers’ perceptions of barriers to accessing bariatric and metabolic surgery in Argentina: An exploratory qualitative study

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Eligibility criteria for surgical treatment.
People who meet the following inclusion criteria will be eligible for surgical treatment:
Age 18 to 70 years.
BMI greater than 40 kg/m² (with or without comorbidities) or greater than 35 kg/m² with at least one of the following comorbidities (the BMIs considered correspond to those before the decrease in preoperative preparation): type 2 diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, apnea or OSAHS, or joint disease with severe functional limitation.
Acceptable surgical risk, i.e., comorbidities controlled before surgery according to the ASA scale.
Having tried other non-surgical methods for obesity control under medical supervision for at least twelve months, without success or with initial success but regaining the lost weight, establishing a treatment contact at least once a month with an interdisciplinary team or individual consultations with a physician or licensed nutritionist plus psychotherapy, on an uninterrupted basis.
Informed consent: acceptance and desire for the procedure, this being an informed decision agreed upon with the treating team, with a commitment to the requirements of the multidisciplinary team, assessing expectations, and evaluating the possibilities of carrying out the correct follow-up.
Psychological stability.

BMI, body mass index. OSAHS, obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Scale.

Source: Prepared by the authors based on Resolution 1420/2022 [18].