Postoperative analgesia in the Jamaican cannabis user.

Background: Anecdotal reports suggest that cannabis users require increased postoperative analgesia but there is insufficient supporting data.

Methods: A prospective randomized study was carried out in 73 patients undergoing elective operations. Postoperatively, all patients were assessed by a blinded investigator, who recorded pain intensity, sedation levels, mood, and hourly analgesia requirements.

Cost-benefit comparison of hemodialysis access creation in a developing country and North American centres.

Objective: It has been suggested that vascular access operations should only be performed in high-volume centres to ensure good outcomes. Vascular access operations have been routinely performed in the Cayman Islands since 2005. However, with an estimated population of 45,000 persons, only a small number of patients require vascular access in any given interval.