A Comparison of Open and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy done by a Surgeon in Training

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has virtually replaced conventional open cholecystectomy as the gold standard for symptomatic cholelithiasis. The laparoscopic approach brings numerous advantages at the expense of higher complication rates, especially in training facilities. This comparative 18-month review examines the outcomes of 52 cholecystectomies performed by a single surgical resident at the University Hospital of the West Indies – a teaching hospital in Jamaica. The advantages of laparoscopic cholecystectomy have been demonstrated and it has been found to be safe and effective in this training facility. "Comparación de Colecistectomías Abiertas y Laparoscópicas Realizadas por un Cirujano Durante su Adiestramiento" RESUMEN La colecistectomía laparoscópica ha reemplazado virtualmente la colecistectomía abierta convencional, siendo ahora la norma de oro para la colelitiasis sintomática. El abordaje laparoscópico trae consigo numerosas ventajas a expensas de tasas de complicación más altas, sobre todo en las instalaciones de adiestramiento. Este estudio comparativo realizado a lo largo 18 meses, examina los resultados de 52 colecistectomías realizadas por un residente de cirugía del Hospital Universitario de West Indies – un hospital docente de Jamaica. Las ventajas de la colecistectomía laparoscópica han quedado demostradas, y el tratamiento ha probado ser seguro y efectivo en esta instalación docente

Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair in a Developing Nation: Short‑term Outcomes in 103 Consecutive Procedures

Background: There are no published data on the outcomes of inguinal hernia repair from the Anglophone Caribbean. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a series of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs from the region.Materials and Methods: Data was extracted from a prospectively maintained database of consecutive trans abdominal pre‑peritoneal (TAPP) repairs done between June 1, 2005 and May 30, 2012. Perioperative data collected included patient demographics, hernia type, operative technique, duration of surgery, intra‑operative details, morbidity, analgesia requirements, and duration of hospitalization. A telephone survey was also performed to identify late recurrences and complications. Descriptive statistics were generated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Ver 12.0. Results: There were 103 consecutive TAPP procedures in 88 patients at an average age of 35.4 years ± 12.9 (standard deviation; SD) and average body mass index (BMI) of 28.9 Kg/m2 ± 2.23 (SD). The indications were bilateral (30), recurrent unilateral (24), and primary unilateral (49) inguinal hernias. The mean duration of operation was 68.5 minutes (SD ± 10.4; Range: 55-95; Median 65; Mode 65) minutes for unilateral TAPP and 89 minutes (SD ± 7.61; Range: 80‑105; Median 90; Mode 90) for bilateral repairs. Post‑operatively, 65/70 patients required ≤1 dose of parenteral opioid analgesia and 74 (84.1%) patients discontinued oral analgesia within 48 hours of operation. Complications were recorded in six (5.8%) cases and a recurrence in one (0.97%) case after a mean follow‑up period of 3.2 years (SD ± 1.8; Range: 0.5-7).Conclusion: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is a safe and effective operation in this setting.Key words: Hernia, laparoscopic, recurrence, TAP

Self-directed treatment for lower limb wounds in persons with diabetes: a short report

Patrick Harnarayan, Shamir O Cawich, Shariful Islam, Shivaa Ramsewak, Vijay Naraynsingh Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago Aim: There has been little focus on self-directed treatment for lower limb wounds, although it a common practice among persons with diabetes across the Caribbean. We sought to document this practice in a Caribbean nation. Methods: We prospectively interviewed all consecutive patients with diabetes who were admitted with lower limb wounds at the San Fernando General Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago over a period of 18 months. A questionnaire was used to collect data on patient demographics, use of self-directed treatment, and details of these treatments.Results: Of 839 persons with diabetes who were admitted with infected lower limb wounds, 344 (41%) admitted to self-directed treatment before seeking medical attention. These patients were predominantly male (59.9%) at a mean age of 56.4±12.4 years. The practice was most common in persons of Afro-Caribbean descent (45.9%) and those with type 2 diabetes (93.9%). In this group, 255 (74.4%) patients were previously admitted to hospital for lower limb infections. And of those, 32 (12.6%) had a prior amputation and 108 (42.4%) had at least one operative debridement specifically for foot infections.Conclusion: Caribbean cultural practices may be an important contributor to negative outcomes when treating lower limb wounds in persons with diabetes. Despite being acutely aware of the potentially devastating consequences of inadequate treatment, 41% of our patients with diabetes still opted to use self-directed treatment for lower limb wounds. This deserves further study in order to give a more tailored approach in care delivery. Keywords: diabetes, foot infection, alternative, home, remedy, amputatio

Adverse events in diabetic foot infections: a case control study comparing early versus delayed medical treatment after home remedies

Shamir O Cawich, Patrick Harnarayan, Shariful Islam, Steve Budhooram, Shivaa Ramsewak, Vijay Naraynsingh Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies Background: The aim of conventional medical therapy in diabetic foot infections is to control infection, thereby reducing amputation rates, infectious morbidity, and death. Any delay incurred during a trial of home remedies could allow an infection to progress unchecked, increasing the risk of these adverse outcomes. This study sought to determine the effects of delayed operative interventions and amputations in these patients. Methods: A questionnaire study targeting all consecutive patients admitted with diabetic foot infection was carried out over 1 year. Two groups were defined, ie, a medical therapy group comprising patients who sought medical attention after detecting their infection and a home remedy group comprising those who voluntarily chose to delay medical therapy in favor of home remedies. The patients were followed throughout their hospital admissions. We recorded the duration of hospitalization and number of operative debridements and amputations performed. Results: There were 695 patients with diabetic foot infections, comprising 382 in the medical therapy group and 313 in the home remedy group. Many were previously hospitalized for foot infections in the medical therapy (78%) and home remedy (74.8%) groups. The trial of home remedies lasted for a mean duration of 8.9 days. The home remedy group had a longer duration of hospitalization (16.3 versus 8.5 days; P<0.001), more operative debridements (99.7% versus 94.5%; P<0.001), and more debridements per patient (2.85 versus 2.45; P<0.001). Additionally, in the home remedy group, there was an estimated increase in expenditure of US $10,821.72 US per patient and a trend toward more major amputations (9.3% versus 5.2%; P=0.073). Conclusion: There are negative outcomes when patients delay conventional medical therapy in favour of home remedies to treat diabetic foot infections. These treatments need not be mutually exclusive. We encourage persons with diabetes who wish to try home remedies to seek medical advice in addition as a part of holistic care. Keywords: diabetic foot infections, adverse events, medical treatment, home remedie

Management of Breast Abscesses in Jamaican Women Is There Need for a Paradigm Shift?

A paradigm shift from operative to non-operative management of breast abscesses has occurred in surgical centres worldwide. The recent experience in managing these patients at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) was examined. Data were obtained retrospectively from dockets retrieved from the UHWI medical records department, and were analysed using the SPSS version 11.0 software package for Windows. Seventy-seven patients with breast abscesses presented during the 66-month study period, but complete data were unavailable for seventeen cases. The mean age of the remaining sixty patients was 32 years. There was one male patient. There were no cases of bilateral disease, and the majority was right-sided. Mean white blood cell count at presentation was mildly elevated at 11.9 x 109/L, and had no relationship to method of management or length of stay. There were two cases treated with aspiration and antibiotics only. All other cases were treated with incision and drainage. Culture results were available in forty-four cases, and in 80%, Staphylococcus aureus was identified, with one case of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The mean delay to the operating theatre was one day after presentation and the mean length of stay was 4.5 days. Seventeen patients had a ‘non-cosmetic’ incision. The traditional management of breast abscess provides challenges in terms of delay to the operating theatre and prolonged hospital stays. There is increased expense, as well as loss of pro-ductive work hours, associated with this line of treatment. Non-operative management has not tra-ditionally been undertaken in our institution, but it is documented elsewhere to be safe, practical, and results in improved cosmetic outcomes. Prospective protocol-based trials are necessary to identify the patients most suitable for this line of management in a setting with limited resources. Keywords: Abscesses, aspiration, breast, incision, management "Tratamiento de Abscesos Mamarios en Mujeres Jamaicanas. ¿Es Necesario un Cambio de Paradigma?" RESUMEN Un cambio de paradigma de tratamiento operatorio a tratamiento no operatorio de los abscesos mamarios, se ha producido en los centros quirúrgicos a nivel mundial. Se examinó la experiencia reciente en el tratamiento de estos pacientes en el Hospital Universitario de West Indies (HUWI). Se obtuvieron datos tomados retrospectivamente de listas de casos archivados en el Departamento de Historias Clínicas de HUWI, los cuales fueron analizados usando la versión 11.0 del software SPSS para Windows. Durante el período de 66 meses de estudio, se presentaron setenta y siete pacientes con abscesos de mama, pero en diecisiete casos no pudo disponerse de todos los datos. La edad promedio de los otros sesenta pacientes fue 32 años. Hubo un paciente varón. No hubo ningún caso de enfer-medad bilateral, y la mayoría se trataba del lado derecho. El conteo promedio de leucocitos a la hora de la presentación fue ligeramente elevado en 11.9 x 109/L, y no guardaba ninguna relación con el método de tratamiento o duración de la estancia. Hubo dos casos tratados con aspiración y anti-bióticos solamente. Todos los otros casos se trataron con incisión y drenaje. Los resultados del cultivo se hallaban disponibles en cuarenta y cuatro casos, y en el 80% se identificó el estafilococo dorado, con un caso de Staphylococcus aureus resistente a la meticilina. La demora promedio para entrar al salón de operaciones fue de un día después de la presentación y la duración promedio de estancia eran 4.5 días. Diecisiete pacientes tenían una incisión ‘no cosmética’. El tratamiento tradicional del absceso mamario presenta retos en términos de demora para ingresar al salón de operaciones y estadía prolongada en el hospital. Esta línea de tratamiento conlleva un aumento de los gastos así como pérdida de horas de trabajo productivo. El tratamiento no operatorio no ha sido tradicionalmente practicado en nuestra institución, pero sí en otras partes donde se documenta que es seguro, práctico, y produce mejores resultados cosméticos. Se requieren ensayos protocolares prospectivos a fin de identificar a los pacientes más convenientes para esta línea de tratamiento en un contexto de recursos limitados. Palabras claves: Abscesos, aspiración, mama, incisión, tratamient

Advancement of laparoscopic surgery in Guyana: a working model for developing countries

Shamir O Cawich,1 Cheetnand Mahadeo,2 Maddan Rambaran,2 Sheik Amir,2 Shilindra Rajkumar,2 Ivor W Crandon,1 Vijay Naraynsingh1 1Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago; 2Department of Surgery, Guyana Public Hospital Corporation, Georgetown, Guyana Abstract: In the late 20th century, the volume and complexity of laparoscopic operations being performed have increased worldwide. However, surgical practice lagged behind in the Caribbean region. This article reports a tailored approach to initiate advanced laparoscopy in Guyana, which can be used as a model to initiate laparoscopic services in other developing nations. This can be achieved in four stages: 1) relying on regional proctors to teach laparoscopic techniques adapted to resource-poor environments, 2) focusing on developing skill sets such as laparoscopic suturing in order to rely less on expensive consumables, 3) creating partnerships that include all stakeholders, and 4) collaborating with regional experts as a valuable resource for continued medical education, multidisciplinary support, and sharing learning experiences. Keywords: laparoscopy, education, Caribbean, minimal, invasiv