[Unnecessary operations in the exercise of surgery. A topic of our times with serious implications in medical ethics]. / Las operaciones innecesarias en el ejercicio de la cirugía. Un tema de nuestro tiempo con graves implicaciones en la ética médica.

Unnecessary operations represent between 20 and 25% of total surgical practice. This article analyses causes, history, enormous economic effects and their consequences as an iatrogenic harm. Looking for a solution to the problem of unnecessary operations is urgent because these surgeries have a direct effect on the field of ethics and morality in the practice of surgery.

[An operative primary health care services model including physicians and technicians]. / Un modelo operativo de servicios de atención primaria a la salud con médicos y técnicos.

The operative Model of Primary Health Care, was developed to offer health services to a population living under conditions of extreme poverty in the municipality of Chimalhuacán, State of México. This article describes the theorical framework, organization and operationalization of an innovative model, changing the current paradigm of clinical practice to include allied health personnel with and especial training. At the core of the model is the Basic Unit of Primary Care that includes one physician and five allied health technicians for each 15,000 habitants. This model offer an alternative to improve the utilization of available personnel and infrastructure. Finally this paper emphasizes the importance of the permanece, surveillance and evaluation of the model.