News

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine is a medical speciality that uses safe, painless and cost effective techniques both to image the body and to treat disease. Nuclear Medicine imaging is unique in that it is able to document organ function rather than structure in contrast to conventional radiological techniques that are solely dependent on the anatomy.

Nuclear Medicine techniques are able to provide infonnation that may not be otherwise available, require surgical intervention or necessitate more cost diagnostic investigations.

Nuclear Medicine is integral to the practice of modern medicine and is essential in the diagnosis and treatment and overall management of a number of disease conditions.

Nuclear Medicine imaging procedures often detect abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease long before some medical problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. This early detection allows disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a more successful prognosis.

Nuclear Medicine finds its application in the fields of Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Urology, Nephrology, Cardiology, Pulmonary applications.

Other applications include the diagnosis and treatment of hyperthyroidism, the detection of acute cholecystitis, detection of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, testicular torsion, detection of occult infections.

Hyperbaric Chamber - Decompression Sickness

Decompression sickness can happen in these situations:

• A diver ascends rapidly from a dive or does not carry out decompression stops after a long or deep dive.
• An unpressurized aircraft flies upwards.
• The cabin pressurization system of an aircraft fails.
• Divers flying in any aircraft shortly after diving. Pressurized aircraft are not risk-free since the cabin pressure is not maintained at sea-level pressure. Commercial aircraft cabin pressure is often maintained to about 8,000 feet above sea level.

Decompression sickness (DCS), the diver's disease, the bends, or caisson disease is the name given to a variety of symptoms suffered by a person exposed to a reduction in the pressure surrounding their body. It is a type of diving hazard and dysbarism.

Recompression is the only effective treatment for severe DCS, although rest and oxygen (increasing the percentage of oxygen in the air being breathed via a tight fitting oxygen mask) applied to lighter cases can be effective. Recompression is normally carried out in a recompression chamber. In diving, a high-risk alternative is in-water recompression.

Oxygen first aid treatment is useful for suspected DCS casualties or divers who have made fast ascents or missed decompression stops. Most fully closed-circuit rebreathers can deliver sustained high concentrations of oxygen-rich breathing gas and could be used as an alternative to pure open-circuit oxygen resuscitators.

Approval for Air Ambulance

Tapion Hospital is in the process of receiving approval for a helipad. The site has been completed. Air ambulance carriers will be accommodated on the site for the trasportation of patients to our affiliates overseas.

Sleep Laboratory

There are a variety of treatments for obstructive sleep apnea, depending on an individual's medical history, the severity of the disorder and, most importantly, the specific cause of the obstruction.

In acute infectious mononucleosis, for example, although the airway may be severely obstructed in the first 2 weeks of the illness, the presence of lymphoid tissue (suddenly enlarged tonsils and adenoids) blocking the throat is usually only temporary. A course of anti-inflammatory steroids such as prednisone (or another kind of glucocorticoid drug) is often given to reduce this lymphoid tissue. Although the effects of the steroids are short term, in most affected individuals, the tonsillar and adenoidal enlargement are also short term, and will be reduced on its own by the time a brief course of steroids is completed. In unusual cases where the enlarged lymphoid tissue persists after resolution of the acute stage of the Epstein-Barr infection, or in which medical treatment with anti-inflammatory steroids does not adequately relieve breathing, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be urgently required.

UHC Health Alert

Free Screening for Diabetes

In May 2006, UHC (Universal Health Care) will "test drive" a component of the planned UHC system using persons seeking medical attention for the "silent killer" Diabetes.

Ms. Emma Hippolyte, Chairperson of the Taskforce for the implementation of UHC says: "The pilot will help us see the planned UHC system actually at work and help us identify potential stumbling blocks that are to be addressed before full implementation of the programme."

The Government of St. Lucia has approved the funding for the Pilot UHC Pharmaceutical Project for the FREE screening and treatment of Diabetes. Diabetics who are also hypertensive will be treated for both diseases. The Pilot Project is expected to cost approximately EC$3.1 million. The overall purpose of the Pilot Project is to effectively treat persons with Diabetes thus improving their health.

This means that the national formulary will be brought on stream, national clinical protocols for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension will be implemented; and health personnel will be trained in these protocols.

Free Screening and Treatment

All St. Lucians suffering from diabetes and hypertension will be treated. Diabetes is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity and is the leading cause of death in St. Lucia. Hypertension is the fourth leading cause of death. It is estimated that there are 8,000 persons with diabetes in Saint Lucia and 20,000 persons with hypertension.