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BACKGROUND: Endoscopy has developed rapidly, generating new challenges. Today, there are several procedures done endoscopically with very good results. In the past, the assisted laparoscopic colon polypectomy has been described, reducing the morbidity of a bigger procedure. Nonetheless, little has been said about the use of hybrid surgery in the management of gastric or duodenal polyps. OBJECTIVES: Evaluating the safety and efficacy of the assisted laparoscopic gastric endoscopic polypectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the database at our two centres was performed from 1996 to 2014. Thirteen patients were found in whom an assisted laparoscopic gastric or duodenal endoscopic tumour resection was performed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients, eight males and five females, with a median age of 61 years and average body mass index of 29.3. The procedure was done effectively and no need for further procedures was required for any patient. No complications were reported in the early post-operative period. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that assisted laparoscopic gastric endoscopic polypectomy is a feasible and safe procedure that can be used for the management of giant polyps, which cannot be resected with the classical endoscopic polypectomy reducing the morbidity and complications associated with larger procedures.

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BACKGROUND: Anecdotal evidence suggests increasing workplace violence against healthcare workers in the Caribbean, but the prevalence is largely undocumented. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of workplace violence reported by medical staff at primary care clinics in Barbados. METHODS: A study utilizing a modified version of the standard World Health Organization Workplace Violence Questionnaire, designed to assess the incidence, types and features of workplace violence. All nursing and physician staff on duty at the island's eight primary care clinics during the study period were invited to participate. RESULTS: Of the 102 respondents (72% response rate), 63% of nursing and physician staff at the polyclinics in Barbados reported at least one episode of violence in the past year. The majority reported being exposed to verbal abuse (60%) and 19% reported being exposed to bullying. Seven percent of the staff reported incidents of sexual harassment, 3% physical violence and another 3% reported racial harassment. Patients emerged as the main perpetrators of violence (64%). Logistic regression showed statistically significant associations between gender and workplace violence. Females and nurses were more predisposed to experience violent incidents than males and physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Over a half of medical staff surveyed reported experiencing some type of violence in the past year, female gender being a significant predictor of abuse. Adequate documentation and implementing clear policies and violence prevention programmes in health institutions are crucial steps towards addressing this issue.

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INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic appendectomy is now the standard of treatment for acute appendicitis in medical centers where advanced minimally invasive surgery is performed, and it has become the standard of care in our institution. The techniques for laparoscopic appendectomy are widely described in surgical textbooks, but the vascular control of the appendicular artery is diverse. In this article, we compare the benefits and possible complications of different techniques to obtain vascular control. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data including all cases of laparoscopic appendectomy from September 1990 to August 2009. Here we describe the different methods used, and we present a large series of 729 cases of laparoscopic appendectomy. In the majority of the cases the diagnosis was acute appendicitis followed by laparoscopic appendectomy. In only 124 cases was an incidental appendectomy performed associated with another laparoscopic procedure. RESULTS: In 350 cases (48%) monopolar cauterization was used to obtain vascular control of the appendicular artery. In the other 379 cases the artery was either clipped or stapled (52%). There were no postoperative complications reported. There was no difference in patient outcome with either approach to obtain adequate vascular control. CONCLUSIONS: The vascular control of the appendicular artery obtained with monopolar cautery is a safe, fast, and economic approach easily done during a laparoscopic or needlescopic appendectomy with no increased risks or complications.

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This brief paper highlights the demographic transition to CNCD, the poor success of our present model of care for CNCD and advocates for a re-focusing of our community medical services to provide through regional policy a focus on improved interpersonal continuity of care.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) among staff of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus, in Barbados. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire comprising validated questions from the WHO STEPS NCD Risk Factor Survey, the Jamaica Healthy Lifestyle (JHL) Survey and the Behaviour Risk Factor (BRF) Survey, was conducted during the Staff Health Day in May 2010, and at four locations on campus during July 2010. Standardized measurements of weight, height and blood pressure were taken. Data were analysed using EXCEL and STATA and results were compared to the Barbados 2007 STEPS NCD survey. RESULTS: The target population was all staff at the Cave Hill campus of UWI. The coverage rate was 25.2% (269/1068); 63.8% of males and 75% of females were either overweight or obese. Ninety-seven per cent ate less than the recommended 5 fruits and vegetables per day. Low levels of physical activity were reported in 51.9% of males and 62.2% of females. Thirty-two per cent of males and 13% of females were binge drinkers. All participants had at least one of the risk factors (current daily smoker < 5 fruits and vegetables/day, physical inactivity, overweight/obese and raised blood pressure) whilst 48% of males and 57.2% of females demonstrated three or more risk factors. These results are similar to those found in the Barbados STEPS NCD risk factor survey of 2007. CONCLUSION: The results confirm a similar high prevalence of NCD risk factors among Cave Hill UWI staff as among the Barbadian population. The study reveals opportunities to inform policy on strategies to positively impact the risk factors.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) among staff of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus, in Barbados. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire comprising validated questions from the WHO STEPS NCD Risk Factor Survey, the Jamaica Healthy Lifestyle (JHL) Survey and the Behaviour Risk Factor (BRF) Survey, was conducted during the Staff Health Day in May 2010, and at four locations on campus during July 2010. Standardized measurements of weight, height and blood pressure were taken. Data were analysed using EXCEL and STATA and results were compared to the Barbados 2007 STEPS NCD survey. RESULTS: The target population was all staff at the Cave Hill campus of UWI. The coverage rate was 25.2% (269/1068); 63.8% of males and 75% of females were either overweight or obese. Ninety-seven per cent ate less than the recommended 5 fruits and vegetables per day. Low levels of physical activity were reported in 51.9% of males and 62.2% of females. Thirty-two per cent of males and 13% of females were binge drinkers. All participants had at least one of the risk factors (current daily smoker, < 5 fruits and vegetables/day, physical inactivity, overweight/obese and raised blood pressure) whilst 48% of males and 57.2% of females demonstrated three or more risk factors. These results are similar to those found in the Barbados STEPS NCD risk factor survey of 2007. CONCLUSION: The results confirm a similar high prevalence of NCD risk factors among Cave Hill UWI staff as among the Barbadian population. The study reveals opportunities to inform policy on strategies to positively impact the risk factors.

OBJETIVO: Determinar la prevalencia de los factores de riesgo de ENCs entre el personal de la Universidad de West Indies (UWI), en el campus de Cave Hill, Barbados. MÉTODOS: El Día de la Salud del Personal en mayo de 2010, y en cuatro localidades del campus durante julio de 2010, se aplicó un cuestionario auto-administrado formado por varias preguntas validadas de las encuestas conocidas como WHO STEPS NCD Risk Factor Survey, JHL Survey y BRF Survey. Se hicieron mediciones estandarizadas del peso, la altura, y la presión arterial. Los datos fueron analizados usando EXCEL y STATA, y los resultados fueron comparados como los de la encuesta de Barbados 2007 STEPS NCD. RESULTADOS: La población objeto del estudio estuvo formada por todo el personal en el campus de Cave Hill de la Universidad de West Indies (UWI). La tasa de cobertura fue 25.2% (269/1068); el 63.8% de los varones y el 75% de hembras tenían sobrepeso o eran obesos. Noventa y siete por ciento consumía menos de las 5 frutas y vegetales recomendados por día. Se reportaron bajos niveles de actividad física en 51.9% de los varones y 62.2% de las hembras. Treinta y dos por ciento de los varones y 13% de las hembras eran bebedores consumados. Todos los participantes tenían al menos uno de los factores de riesgo (fumador consuetudinario, < 5 frutas y vegetales/día, inactividad física, sobrepeso/obeso, y alta presión arterial) en tanto que el 48% de los varones y el 57.2% de las hembras mostraron tres o más factores de riesgo. Estos resultados son similares a los hallados en la encuesta Barbados STEPS NCD Risk Factor Survey del 2007. CONCLUSIÓN: Los resultados confirman una alta prevalencia de factores de riesgo de ENC entre el personal de Cave Hill de UWI similar a la existente entre la población barbadense en general. El estudio revela oportunidades de informar las políticas sobre estrategias de modo que puedan lograr un impacto positivo sobre los factores de riesgo.

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INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic surgery has emerged as the gold standard for many intra-abdominal procedures. Laparoscopic colon surgery is now entering its second decade of practice, and although there are many papers focusing on surgery of the distal colon, only a few have been published regarding right sided lesion approached totally laparoscopically. OBJECTIVE: Present data collected-in a prospective manner from a single institute over an eleven year period, focusing on laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for malignancy. METHODS: Patients elected for laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer were analyzed prospectively. From May 1991 to May 2002, 98 patients underwent attempted laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for cancer, 44 male and 54 female, with a mean age of 70.6 years, emergent and non emergent cases were included Patients who underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy and those converted immediately to open procedure were excluded from this study. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were included in the study, eighty-two of these had a totally intracorporeal anastomosis created, and ten had an extracorporeal anastomosis performed. The mean operative time for the intracorporeal group was 136 minutes, and for the extracorporeal group was 159 minutes. The average number of lymph nodes harvested was 10.8 and the final pathologic analysis showed 26 tumors stage I, 24 stage II, 31 stage III and 17 stage IV. CONCLUSIONS: In experienced hands, laparoscopic colectomy can be performed safely and effectively for the treatment of both benign and malignant diseases of the right colon. This study reaffirms the contention that laparoscopic approach to colon cancer offers equivalent, or in some instances, greater oncologic safety when compared to the open technique.

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Many techniques for diagnosing H. pylori (HP) have emerged. Serum immunoglobin FlexSure (F/S) is promoted for screening and C Breath Test (B/T) for confirmation of active HP infection. B/T confirmed HP in 97/106 F/S +ve dyspeptic patients in an earlier study. No correlation of pretreatment B/T with eradication of HP was documented. In this study B/T was compared with CLO test and culture, to evaluate the C Breath Test in the diagnosis of active HP infection in dyspeptic patients. The C Breath Test (Tri Med Specialities, Virginia) and HP culture were undertaken in 54 F/S +ve CLO +ve dyspeptic patients who were gastroscoped. B/T+ve was > 100dpm. Repeat B/T were performed 4 weeks and 6 months after a treatment regimen consisting of lanzaprasole, metronidazole and calrithromycin of 7 days. 4/54 were B/T -ve and 3 of the 4 (also culture -ve) were classified false -ve B/T. Total culture positivity was 51.8 percent (28/54). B/T confirmed eradication in 43/50 (86 percent) with no recurrences at 6 months' follow up.(AU)

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This study was designed to correlate the presence of the Helicobacter pylori (HP) organism with histological grade of gastric antral biopsy and with endoscopic appearance. 80 dyspeptic patients were upper-endoscoped. Antral gastric biopsy samples taken were examined histologically for HP by an uniformed pathologist. Warthin-Starry staining technique (W-S) identified HP organisms. Histological grade of inflammation was evaluated by the haematoxylin and eosin staining technique (H&E): grade 0 (normal), grade 1 and 2 [superficial chronic quiescent gastritis (SCQG)] and grade 3 [superficial chronic active gastritis (SCAG)]. HP organisms (HP+ve) were identified in 31/80 (38.8 percent) of specimens examined by W-S. On H&E 13/31 were grade 3 (SCAG), 17 grade 1,2 (SCQG) and 1 grade 0. Of the 49/80 specimens negative for HP (HP-ve) organisms by W-S, 3 were grade 3, 43 (grade 1,2) and 3 grade 0. Of the 31 HP+ve patients, 4 had peptic ulcer disease (PUD), 20 gastritis and 7 normal mucosa. Of the 49 HP-ve patients, 4 had PUD, 32 gastritis and 13 normal mucosa. We concluded that W-S diagnosis of HP infection (38.9 percent of dyseptic patients studied) had 41.9 percent correlation with the H&E histologic grade 3 (SCAG). Secondly, endoscopic findings were a poor discriminant between HP+ve and HP-ve patients.(AU)

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