The prevalence of seat belt use in Jamaica: an observational study

An observational cross-sectional survey showed that 21.1 percent of private motor vehicle drivers and 13.5 percent of front seat passengers voluntarily wore seat belts in Kingston, Jamaica, where there is no law requiring this. Rear passenger utilisation was not examined. Compared to males, females were significantly more likely to wear seat belts when driving but not as front seat passengers. Of all motor vehicles examined 10.1 percent were not equipped with seat belts. The oldest group of vehicles were mostly not fitted with seat belts. Drivers of older vehicles were significantly less likely to use seat belts even when the vehicles were equipped with belts. Implementation of legislation can reduce mortality, morbidity and costs from road traffic accidents which are relatively frequent in Jamaica. Male drivers, drivers of older vehicles and all passengers may require specific targeting in an educational and enforcement campaign should legislation, which is highly desirable, be implemented

Primary aortoenteric fistula

One hundred and thirty-eight patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms were treated by aneurysmorrhaphy over an eleven-year period. Six patients, all male and aged 60 - 74 years, were found to have developed primary aorteonteric fistulae. Four patients presented with bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract in association with a tender abdominal swelling. In the other two cases, the aneurysm was discovered at emergency laparatomy for gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The presence of the fistula was confirmed at operation in five patients and at autopsy in one. Two patients died, one from a massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage to surgery, the other from sepsis complicated by adult respiratory distress syndrome and renal failure following operation

Admissions for trauma at the University Hospital of the West Indies

Trauma accounted for 20 per cent of all admissions to the general surgery wards of this University Hospital in a developing country. It was the most common reason for admission. This condition affects the young, males more commonly than females, and results in the need for operation in almost 40 per cent of admitted trauma patients. Trauma surgery accounts for 17 per cent of all operations done. Hospital stay and age are significantly greater in those requiring operation. The head, chest and abdomen are, in order of frequency, the most commonly affected areas of the body, and injury is mainly the result of interpersonal violence (52 per cent ), accidental injuries including burns (20 per cent ), and road traffic accidents (20 per cent ). In-patient mortality was 4.5 per cent , significantly higher in older patients and mainly in those with head injuries and burns. Scarce resources and resource allocation mandate preventive measures to minimize the human and economic waste

Outcome of solid renal tumours in children at the University Hospital of the West Indies

Of the twenty-nine children with solid tumours treated at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) between January, 1972 and December, 1991, there were twenty-eight cases of nephroblastoma and one of mesoblastic nephroma. Peak incidence was between the ages of two and four years. Twenty-five children had radical nephrectomy while one had bilateral partial nephrectomy. In thirteen cases, pre-operative chemotherapy and radiotherapy was used. Post-operative chemotherapy and radiotherapy were used in 24 and 13 cases, respectively. Stage of the tumour was the most decisive factor influencing the outcome. Whereas there was 100 per cent cure rate in Stages I and II, Stage III had only a 55.5 per cent survival rate and non of the Stage IV survived. Bilateral (Stage V) tumours are curable if individual tumours are localised, as in one of the two cases. The benign mesoblastic nephroma, in a one-month-old infant, was cured by nephrectomy alone. While the present therapy of radical nephrectomy along with combination chemotherapy is satisfactory for early stages, more aggressive adjuvant therapy is needed for improving the results in Stages III and IV

Prognosis of neuroblastic tumours in children

A retrospective analysis of 26 children with neuroblastic tumours treated at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) between 1970 and 1991 was undertaken to evaluate factors affecting prognosis. The peak incidence was between 48 months and 60 months of age, and 75//of the deaths occurred in children older than 3 years. The abdomen was the most common site of the tumours 79//of which were from the adrenal gland and carried a dismal outcome. Other sites were thoracic, pelvic and cervical. Extra-adrenal tumours have a good outcome even when the histology is unfavourable; 92//of the tumours were in Stages III or IV at the time of initial presentation. Stage IV disease accounted for all but one of the deaths. Of the 8 children with favourable histology (ganglioneuroma or well-differentiated ganglioneuroblastoma), only one (12.5//) died, whereas of the remaining 18 cases with unfavourable histology (neuroblastoma and undifferentiated ganglioneuroblastoma), eleven (61//) died. When managed by surgery alone or with adjuvant chemo- and/or radio-therapy, only 36.4//succumbed while all 4 children with chemotherapy only died. Ten children are alive without disease for more than three years post-therapy. A scoring system was designed which takes into account the factors influencing the outcome in neuroblastic tumours, namely, age, location, stage and histological types of the tumours and therapy. All the children with a score of 21 or less survived, whereas all those with scores of 22 or above succumbed. This underlines the multifactorial influences on the final outcome of neuroblastic tumours

The rapunzel syndrome: report of a case and review of the literature

The Rapunzel Syndrome, a rare manifestation of trichobezoar, occurs when bolus gastrointestinal obstruction is produced by an unusual trichobezoar with a long tail that extends to or beyond the ileocaecal valve. A five-year-old Jamaican girl presented with this abnormality and was found at laparotomy also to have an ileo-ileal intussuception. For the Rapunzel Syndrome, we recommended bezoar extraction at laparotomy via multiple enterotomies. In addition, psychiatric evaluation and therapy is essential due to the commonly associated finding of underlying emotional stress.

Hydrops of the gallbladder

Hydrops of the gallbladder is an uncommon condition of infants and children. There is acute distension of the gallbladder in the absence of calculi without evidence of inflammation in the early stages of the disease. A case of hydrops of the gallbladder in a 4-year-old male child is presented. The literature is reviewed and the diagnosis and treatment of the condition discussed.

Burn care: symposium proceedings, 1988-1989

Burn injuries form a major part of the spectrum of trauma which absorbs so much of the health care resources in developing countries. The Jamaica Burn Programme was established to address this problem, through the collection and analysis of local information about burns and through the education of health and other interested professionals in the prevention and care of burn injuries. The first step was the establishment of a Burn Unit in May 1986 at the 500 bed University Hospital of the West Indies. The following year, a Post Basic Course for nurses was introduced and, to date three groups have graduated from this programme. In June 1988, a three day international symposium was held at the Medical Faculty of the University of the West Indies. One year later, a smaller meeting was held.The papers at both of these covered many relevant areas of burn care and were of excellent quality. The editors consider themselves fortunate to have been able to collect the majority of them for publication. This text is provided for the benefit of those who have the responsibility for promoting burn prevention or for caring for those with burn injuries

Proposals for a burn prevention programme

Proposes a burn prevention programme for Jamaica