Seat-belt fractures of the lumbar spine in adolescents and adults are well recognised but there are few reports of these injuries in young children. We reviewed all seat-belt injuries in skeletally immature patients (Risser 0), seen at a tertiary referral centre between 1974 and 1991. There were ten cases, eight girls and two boys, with an average age of 7.5 years (3 to 13). Four distinct patterns of injury were observed, most commonly at the L2 to L4 level. Paraplegia, which is thought to be uncommon, occurred in three of our ten cases. Four children had intra-abdominal injuries requiring laparotomy. There was a delay in diagnosis either of the spinal or of the intra-abdominal injury in five cases, although all had contusion of the abdominal wall, the 'seat-belt sign'. Treatment of the fractures was conservative, by bed rest and then hyperextension casts. The incidence of this potentially devastating injury can be reduced by the optimal use of restraints, but there is often a delay in diagnosis. Our classification system may aid in the early detection and evaluation of this injury.

Objective. To investigate the incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at the Mt. Hope Women's Hospital and to describe its epidemiological pattern. Design. A retrospective observational study (Jan 2005 to Dec 2007). Setting. A teaching hospital of The University of the West Indies. Population/Sample. Pregnant women who gave birth. Methods. A sample size of 720. The variables analyzed were: age, ethnicity, BMI of mother, family history of diabetes; history of GDM, obstetric history, birth weight and APGAR score of infant. Main Outcome Measures. (1) Incidence of cases of GDM. (2) Impact of the measured variable. Chi-squares, odds ratios and logistic regression were performed. Results. The incidence of GDM was 4.31% (95% C.I. 2.31%, 6.31%). The proportion of GDM patients for the years 2005, 2006, and 2007 were 1.67%, 4.58%, and 6.67%, respectively. Age, Obesity Ethnicity, Family history of diabetes and a history of GDM were determined risk factors. Associations between GDM and (1) Mode of Delivery and (2) APGAR score of the baby were found. Discussion & Conclusion. There was an apparent increase in the incidence of GDM. Additional studies should be conducted to measure the occurrence of GDM in Trinidad and Tobago. Efforts to promote public awareness and a healthy lifestyle should be made to reverse this trend.

Intestinal malrotation (IM) is a congenital aberrancy of midgut rotation during development, which manifests among neonates more than adults. Older reports have estimated an incidence of one in 6,000 live births, which is now as high as one in 500. This congenital anomaly is generally indolent in the adult population. Recent literature research has failed to reveal any publications regarding the incidence within a Caribbean population. This paper aims to discuss the isolated case of a patient with this rare condition, who presented to a non-paediatric centre in Trinidad. This case highlights the implications of the initial radiological interpretation in conjunction with perioperative and intraoperative decision making.An 18-year-old male presented with a one-day history of abdominal pain, radiating to the epigastrium with nausea and excessive vomiting. Vital signs and blood investigations were normal. Initial CT scan results were interpreted as an internal hernia, which was surgically managed as such. Repeat imaging and a second laparotomy were required to correctly diagnose and perform the appropriate Ladd procedure.IM occurs due to the arrest of rotation of the midgut during fetal maturation. The incomplete rotation variant was seen in this case and is predominantly responsible for the symptomatology and morbidity associated with adult intestinal malrotation (AIM). Stringer has classified these anomalies based on the stage of embryonic development that is disrupted. CT helps with diagnostics in 97.5% of cases. This case highlights the implication of incorrect assessment on imaging and how it may misguide the interpretation of the findings at laparotomy leading to inappropriate surgical procedures. As many as 20% of cases undergo surgery without adult intussusception diagnosed.The incidence of IM seems to have increased but is scarcely encountered in the adult setting. When encountering this condition at a low-volume centre in the Caribbean, the adult specialist may be blindsided, and unknowingly underprepared without a high index of suspicion. Diagnosis at childhood should be discussed with the family and again with the patient on approaching adulthood. Patient education may help with the surgical assessment.

COVID-19 has required changes in the practice of surgery to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. Proposed mitigation strategies include avoidance of aerosol-generating procedures such as laparoscopy. We report two cases where minilaparotomy cholecystectomy was employed to treat benign biliary disease during the pandemic. A review of the literature supports the use of this surgical technique during the COVID-19 pandemic until laparoscopy can be proven to be safe.

Skin tethering (ST) is regarded as a classical clinical feature of breast cancer. In many cases, ST is not evident on inspection, with the arm raised and skin pinching over the lump. We have observed that pushing the lump in one or another direction may elicit skin dimpling that was not otherwise evident. In these cases, there is normal fat, grossly and histologically, between the tumor and the skin. Thus, the dimpling is not due to cutaneous infiltration. We believe that it is caused by tumor involvement of the ligaments of Cooper and present suggestions as to why it might be so. It may be that this is very early involvement of these ligaments, long before ST becomes very obvious. We report our experience with six such cases.