The risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting was determined retrospectively and compared for 180 and 175 patients having elective laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy respectively at two major hospitals in Jamaica.

A comparative review of the first 52 cholecystectomies performed by surgery residents reveals that this operation is performed with acceptable complication rates, testifying to the efficacy of the training programme at the University Hospital of the West Indies. with small adjustments in hospital policies, an additional 77% of patients can enjoy the proven benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

This prospective study found that a considerable number of long-stay ICU patients required just an intermediate care unit and highlighted the need of such a unit and a protocol to transfer fit patients to this unit.

A review of the first fifty cases of Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados. The paper describes the technique used, its advantages versus thoracotomy, and presents the results, complications and mortality for these patients.

Elderly surgical patients at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, had less emergency admissions, underwent more surgery, had a longer mean hospital stay, a higher mortality rate and a greater mortality amongst emergency admissions. Cancer was the commonest admission diagnosis and that amongst mortalities.