Neurosurgical training in the Caribbean

• Neurosurgical training in the Caribbean has not been well-defined in published data. • Neurosurgical programs are the framework for the delivery of surgical care. • Maldistribution of the neurosurgery workforce is one of the challenges faced. • Facilitating partnerships within the Caribbean would enhance regional solidarity

Can we build better? Challenges with geospatial and financial accessibility in the Caribbean. Illustrative case

BACKGROUND:Within the Caribbean, Curaçao provides a neurosurgical hub to other Dutch Caribbean islands. At times, the inefficiency of neurosurgical referrals leads to unsatisfactory patient outcomes in true emergency cases. OBSERVATIONS:This article reports an illustrative case of a patient in need of emergency neurosurgical care, who was referred to a tertiary health institution in Curaçao. This case highlights the challenges of timely neurosurgical referrals within the Dutch Caribbean. LESSONS:Highlighting this case may provide a foundation for further discussions that may improve neurosurgical care and access. Limiting long-distance surgical referrals in the acute care setting will aid in saving lives.</p

Examining the Surgical Backlog due to COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean: a Scoping Review Protocol

Objective: We aim to assess the degree of surgical backlog provoked by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in countries located in Latin America and the Caribbean. Introduction: COVID-19 had devastating effects worldwide, but most certainly on the health system. This era led to a shift in focus of the health system and a relative pause in the surgical operating rooms. In low- and middle-income countries, as noted in Latin America and the Caribbean, this has led to a critical surgical backlog that continues to be a concern. In resource-limited countries, eliminating the COVID-19-related surgical backlog may prove difficult and will affect patient care and outcome. Inclusion criteria: The inclusion criteria for this review will consist of all surgical patients within Latin America and the Caribbean, who were scheduled to undergo elective and emergency operative procedures, and these procedures were either canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A search of several electronic databases will be conducted to retrieve articles published from December 31st, 2019 until the date of search. Additionally, gray literature will be included. Studies published in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish will be included in this study. Data concerning the surgical backlog within our geographical focus will be extracted from these sources based on our primary and secondary outcomes