JNF General Hospital performs first laparoscopic surgery; live streamed at CaSES conference

St Kitts and Nevis: The laparoscopic and hysterectomy surgeries were performed for the first time at JNF General Hospital. The surgeries have been live streamed at the Marriott ballroom for the participants of the 12th Annual Conference of the Caribbean Society of Endoscopic Surgeons (CaSES). 

Marked as the first edition in St Kitts and Nevis, the conference was held for three days from November 14 to 16, 2024 under the theme- "Back to Basics" or "Back to the Future." The event featured the attendees from the medical field of the Caribbean region and beyond including surgeons and others who promoted safe and accessible laparoscopic surgery. 

Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew participated in a video conference and watched the live streaming of the surgery. He called it a historic day for St Kitts and Nevis and said that the government has taken another step in promoting revolutionary advancement in their healthcare delivery. 

Events in Conference 

The conference commenced on November 14, 2024, with live surgical demonstrations for providing deep information to the attendees or the newcomers in the medical profession. The presentations displayed procedures such as laparoscopic gallbladder removal, hysterectomy for cancer patients and hernia repairs.

All these demonstrations and surgeries have been performed for the first time in St Kitts and Nevis. The professionals did a hysterectomy for a patient who was suffering from cancer, and this was being done for the first time in the country. 

Through the live surgeries, both patients and the local medical professionals have benefited as these shared valuable insights and learning opportunities. The local doctors have undergone first-hand experience with advanced techniques and participated in critical procedures. 

Some also observed the ways of performing those procedures through the live streaming of the surgeries, offering chance to St Kitts and Nevis for enhancing their medical delivery. 

In the last day of the conference, the sessions on the medical education will be fostered where surgeons will deliver address. They will share their expertise, discuss challenges and explore cutting-edge technologies such as robotic surgery. 

Purpose of the first-ever conference 

The first purpose of the conference is to bolster the collaboration among surgeons in the Caribbean region, promoting unity that transcended borders. The conference welcomed the professionals from Jamaica, Trinidad, Saint Lucia, Barbados and the United States who talks about the significance of the surgeries and the advancement of the medical structure across the Caribbean region. Through CaSES, the attendees promoted the surgical care and collaborative spirit of the Caribbean countries. 

CaSES in St Kitts and Nevis

The conference has brought to St Kitts and Nevis with an intent advance the deliveries of the healthcare sector and enhance the cooperation between the medical professionals of the Caribbean countries. Through CaSES, the local medical professionals get the chance to interact with other professionals from US, Jamaica, Trinidad and others who have expertise in different surgeries and gain insightful knowledge about procedures. 

Besides this, the conference also shed light on ways of treating major patients suffering from cancer and other critical diseases. It has also given access to the residents to the latest surgical innovation so that they could have a new sense of hope for their lives. 

Professionals talking about CaSES

Dr Lindberg Simpson, President of CaSES and Head of Surgery at Kingston Public Hospital in Jamaica addressed the gathering and emphasized the significance of the conference. He said that the conference is aimed at expanding the reach of minimally invasive surgical techniques. 

He noted that the goal at CaSES is to enhance the accessibility of laparoscopic surgery to the Caribbean people with the promotion of a safe and secure procedure. The conference is one of the parts of their agendas through which they were seeking to spread their reach, especially to small island nations like St Kitts and Nevis. 

Dr Simpson also asserted that sometime limited resources, physical and education boundaries restrict the countries from having access to them so, they take it as their duty to transcend these boundaries and offer assistance, expertise to these island nations. 

Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic Surgery is known as minimally invasive surgery which is created to benefit the patient who is suffering from cancer. It benefits in reducing pain, shortening the stays in hospital and providing faster recovery times.  

The conference is being held under the patronage of Dr. Joylette Woodley-Fassale and Dr. Mark Grant in St Kitts and Nevis as they collaborated with the Caribbean Society of Endoscopic Surgeons, the Ministry of Health and the Prime Minister’s Office.