Operative stress in Jamaican patients - abstract

ABSTRACT

The high incidence of deaths during surgery in tropical countries is reviewed. While a low standard of resuscitation, late surgical intervention, malnutrition and the use of toxic anaesthetic drugs are important causes of a high immmediate surgical mortality rate there is some evidence that the patient's endocrine reaction to surgery is abnormally severe and circulatory complications are common in the operating theatres and wards. The grossly abnormal blood sugar levels during surgery are reported and discussed. The almost complete absence of post opereative pulmonary complications may mask a high surgical morbidity (AU)