Azambuja Hospital performs the first bariatric surgery by SUS in Brusque

On the afternoon of Wednesday, 17th, Azambuja Hospital performed the first bariatric surgery by the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brusque. Performed by gastroenterologists Fábio Medaglia Filho and Lucas Pensin, the surgery went well and the patient is still recovering.

Fábio, who is the general surgery coordinator at Azambuja Hospital, comments that the operation represents opening doors to the hospital’s extreme complexity.

“We already do all kinds of high-complexity surgeries in the hospital, whether privately or through insurance. What we’re missing is opening doors for us to do it for SUS and bariatric surgery comes as a first operation,” he says.

Cristian Aparecida de Paula Ferreira da Silva, 29, was the first patient to have the procedure via SUS. She underwent the entire protocol of care, which included consultations with the multidisciplinary team, such as a psychiatrist, a nutritionist, as well as physicians; Take exams and participate in monthly meetings.

“I joined the health center in my neighborhood two and a half years ago. In April of this year, I was called to start the whole process for the surgery in Brusque,” ​​says the patient.

Prepare

According to Fábio, the surgery can only be performed on patients with a high body mass index (BMI), comorbidities (comorbidities), and who need to be referred to hospital via the Primary Care Unit or via a City Hall endocrinologist.

“There is no way for a patient to come to us directly and make an appointment, unless they do so privately or through a health insurance plan. Through SUS, the patient must be referred via a health center, so we can start the whole process,” he says.