Body-contouring surgeries are known to improve the quality of life and body image of patients undergoing
bariatric surgery. However, only a small number of patients choose to undergo
body-contouring surgeries. This study evaluated the prevalence of
body-contouring surgeries among patients who underwent
bariatric surgery in Jordan, and identified the limitations encountered. This study is an observational multicentric cross-sectional study. A validated questionnaire was distributed to patients who had undergone
bariatric surgeries between July 2017 and June 2021 at the University of Jordan Hospital and a
bariatric surgery private center in Amman, Jordan. Inclusion criteria were based on the type of
bariatric surgery (Sleeve
Gastrectomy or
Roux-En-Y gastric bypass) and the surgery date falling within the study period, with participation requiring the completion of an online questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed using various statistical tests, with a predetermined alpha level of 0.05 to determine statistical significance. Of 451 eligible participants, a total of 305 patients completed the validated questionnaire. Of these, 11 responses were excluded due to incomplete data. The analysis focused on remaining 294 participants who underwent
bariatric surgery between July 2017 and June 2021, with only 7 participants (2.4%) electing to undergo
body-contouring surgeries. The primary barriers to
body-contouring surgeries reported by participants were cost (62.7%) and fear of postoperative complications (31.8%). Females exhibited a significantly greater desire for
body-contouring surgeries (P = .000), which was also related to the percentage of total
weight loss following
bariatric surgery (P = .025). However, no significant associations were observed between desiring
body-contouring surgeries and marital status (P = .734) or employment status (P = .319). The low rate of
body-contouring surgeries in Jordan reflects the importance of strengthening the patient-physician relationship through targeted education efforts that emphasize the expected consequences of
bariatric surgery and the available solutions to address them. Additionally, encouraging collaboration among caregivers, healthcare authorities, and insurance providers is necessary to develop more inclusive treatment plans that are tailored to meet the diverse needs and socioeconomic backgrounds of patients.