The common operations Jamaican families need — hernia repair, gallbladder, appendix, lumps and biopsies — most done minimally invasively through our laparoscopic suite.
Most of the surgery our families need is the surgery a small general practice already knows well. A hernia that started catching at the gym. A gallbladder that's been quietly grumbling for months. A lump under the skin that's grown enough to want it gone. None of these are the high-drama operations — they're the ones that change the next ten years of how a person feels.
Amadeo's general surgery service is set up for exactly that. Initial consultation, the work-up, the operation, the post-op follow-up — all under one roof in Spanish Town, with the same surgeon you met at consultation in the operating theatre. Most of these procedures are now done laparoscopically through our flagship surgical suite — smaller incisions, shorter recovery, no need to travel to Kingston.
| Initial surgical consultation | 30–45 minutes (history, exam, imaging review) |
|---|---|
| Common operations on-site | Hernia repair · gallbladder · appendix · lipoma · cyst · biopsy |
| Surgical approach | Laparoscopic where indicated (Harmonic Scalpel + LigaSure available) |
| Pre-op work-up | Blood panel, ECG, anaesthesia review — typically 1–2 visits |
| Anaesthesia | General or regional, depending on the procedure |
| Typical hospital stay | Same-day discharge for most procedures · 1–2 nights for complex cases |
| Recovery to daily activity | 1–2 weeks (laparoscopic) · 4–6 weeks (open repair) |
| Insurance accepted | Most major Jamaican health insurance providers — pre-authorisation required for surgery |
| Walk-in consultation | Yes — Mon–Sat 10am–7pm · Sun 10am–6pm (surgical schedule by appointment) |
Hernia repair is the most common consultation — patients with a bulge that comes and goes when they lift or cough, often an inguinal or umbilical hernia that's been there a while and is finally starting to bother them. Most of these are repaired laparoscopically with mesh reinforcement, three small incisions, and a return to light work in about a week.
Gallbladder is the next — chronic upper-right abdominal pain after fatty meals, sometimes diagnosed elsewhere with stones on ultrasound, sometimes presenting acutely. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard, same-day discharge for most patients. For appendicitis, the suite handles emergency appendectomies the same day they present. And for the surface conditions — lipomas, sebaceous cysts, suspicious skin lesions that need a clean biopsy — most are done under local or regional anaesthesia in a short outpatient visit.
The same surgeon, start to finish. The person you meet at consultation — Dr. Rockhead or one of the team trained alongside him — is the surgeon in the operating theatre, and the surgeon at your post-op visit. No handoffs between three different doctors, no chart re-reading mid-care.
Most operations done laparoscopically. Amadeo's surgical suite is one of only two private facilities in Jamaica equipped for minimally invasive surgery — Harmonic Scalpel for ultrasonic cutting, LigaSure for vessel sealing. For the procedures suited to laparoscopy, that means smaller incisions, less pain, and a recovery measured in weeks rather than months.
Everything under one roof. Pre-op cardiac clearance, anaesthesia review, internal medicine consults, and post-discharge follow-up all happen with Amadeo specialists in the same building. Over 30,000 families have come through these doors. You and yours will be in great hands.
No. Walk-ins are welcome seven days a week for consultation. If you have ultrasound or imaging from a previous provider, bring it — it shortens the work-up. Surgery itself is scheduled by appointment after the consult.
Most general-surgery procedures we perform — gallbladder, hernia, appendix — are done laparoscopically through our flagship surgical suite. The surgeon discusses the approach with you at consultation; some cases (large hernias with previous repair, certain emergency situations) are better served open, and that's explained before you decide.
For laparoscopic procedures: most patients are home the same day or after one night, and back to light work within 1–2 weeks. Open procedures (larger hernias, complex cases) typically require 4–6 weeks of restricted activity. The surgical team gives you written instructions and books a follow-up at our Spanish Town clinic within one to two weeks of your operation.
Cost depends on the procedure, anaesthesia, and length of stay. Amadeo works with most major Jamaican health insurance providers; pre-authorisation is required for surgery. Call (876) 676-5098 for a consultation — we can review your case, give you an estimate, and walk through your coverage before you commit.
Closely related. Laparoscopic surgery refers to the technique (minimally invasive, through small ports); general surgery refers to the breadth of operations a surgeon trained in this specialty handles. At Amadeo most general-surgery procedures are performed laparoscopically — but the consultation, work-up, and follow-up flow through the same team either way. See our laparoscopic surgery page for more on the technique itself.
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Our surgical team is open seven days a week and walk-ins are welcome for consultation.