Ten-year experience with cryopreserved vascular allografts in the Croatian Cardiovascular Tissue Bank.

The Croatian Cardiovascular Tissue Bank (CTB) was established in June 2011. Activities managed by CTB are processing of heart valves and blood vessels, as well as quality control, storage, medical release and distribution of allografts. The aim of this report is to present CTB's vascular tissue activities and retrospectively evaluate the outcomes of their use in the University Hospital Centre Zagreb.

Recurrent Aortic Infections Due to Unrecognized Aorto-Enteric Fistula.

We report a case of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with unrecognized primary aortoduodenal fistula (ADF), treated by endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). Endograft infection was diagnosed 12 months thereafter. The associated ADF was uncovered during open surgery, which included endograft extraction, in situ aortic reconstruction with a cryopreserved homograft (CHG) and duodenal repair.

SyLMAND: a microfabrication beamline with wide spectral and beam power tuning range at the Canadian Light Source.

SyLMAND, the Synchrotron Laboratory for Micro and Nano Devices, is a recently commissioned microfabrication bend magnet beamline with ancillary cleanroom facilities at the Canadian Light Source. The synchrotron radiation is applied to pattern high-aspect-ratio polymer microstructures used in the area of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). SyLMAND particularly focuses on spectral and beam power adjustability and large exposable area formats in an inert gas atmosphere; a rotating-disk intensity chopper allows for independent beam-power reduction, while continuous spectral tuning between 1-2 keV and >15 keV photon energies is achieved using a double-mirror system and low-atomic-number filters.

Defect Reconstruction of an Infected Diabetic Foot Using Split- and Full-thickness Skin Grafts With Adjuvant Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Any alteration or impairment to normal wound healing can result in the development of chronic wounds, which may lead to serious complications such as infection and loss of body fluid and proteins. Primary closure alone may not be sufficient to fulfill the criteria of successful defect reconstruction. Therefore, additional procedures such as skin grafting must be considered as an option.

Endovascular Treatment of a Late False Aneurysm Complicating Open Suprarenal Mycotic Aneurysm Repair with a Cryopreserved Aortic Homograft.

We report a patient who was initially treated for a suprarenal mycotic aortic aneurysm. The aneurysm repair was performed using a cryopreserved arterial homograft and debranching of visceral arteries. Five years later, the patient was referred due to a large symptomatic false aneurysm at the distal homograft anastomosis.

Analysis of Airborne Dust as a Result of Plaster Cast Sawing.

Plaster splints are used daily in surgical and orthopedic fields in order to immobilize injured children and adults. The aim of this study was to measure the aerodynamic diameter and concentration of dust particles in the air caused by sawing plaster splints (calcium sulfate dehy-drate). We performed fractional measurements of airborne dust particles.

[FEMUR FRACTURES IN CHILDREN – CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF INJURY].

Children are often exposed to injuries due to their hyperactivity. Femur fractures can however leave permanent consequences despite adequate treatment. The high prevalence and possible invalidity justify research in the field of prevention of this injury.

[EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS OF PLASTER IMMOBILIZATION – ANALYSIS OF THREE KINDS OF PLASTER BANDAGES].

Exothermic reaction of plaster is a very important characteristic to understand, especially when it comes to complications which can occur during local temperature change during molding plaster of Paris. And these complications directly influence the speed and quality of treatment. In this paper we measured temperatures of plaster bandage tiles 10×10 cm, from three different manufacturers in Croatian hospitals: Safix plus (Hartmann, Germany), Cellona (Lohmann &Rauscher, Austria) and Gipsan ( Ivo Lola Ribar, Croatia).

[FRONTAL, AXILLARY AND TYMPANIC TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS IN CHILDREN].

The purpose of this study was to compare the results of body temperature measurements obtained by standard axillary thermometers with the results of infrared tympanic and frontal skin thermometry in afebrile children. This study comprises a single-center, prospective comparison trial. A total of 345 afebrile children aged 4 to 16 years hospitalized in the pediatric surgery department for elective surgery were included.

[PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PLASTER BANDAGES].

The physical properties of plaster bandages are a very important factor in achieving the basic functions of immobilization (maintaining bone fragments in the best possible position), which directly affects the speed and quality of fracture healing. This paper compares the differences between the physical properties of plaster bandages (mass, specific weight, drying rate, elasticity and strength) and records the differences in plaster modeling of fast bonding 10 cm wide plaster bandages, from three different manufacturers: Safix plus (Hartmann, Germany), Cellona (Lohman Rauscher, Austria) and Gipsan (Ivo Lola Ribar ltd., Croatia).

Reducing damage to the periosteal capillary network caused by internal fixation plating: An experimental study.

Background: The importance of the periosteum in fracture healing is well-known. Preserving periosteal vascularisation is essential during internal plate fixation of fractures.

Methods: This was an experimental randomised, controlled animal study on nine sheep.

Medical thermography (digital infrared thermal imaging - DITI) in paediatric forearm fractures - A pilot study.

Trauma is the most common cause of hospitalisation in children, and forearm fractures comprise 35% of all paediatric fractures. One-third of forearm fractures are distal forearm fractures, which are the most common fractures in the paediatric population. This type of fracture represents an everyday problem for the paediatric surgeon.

Thermal changes during healing of distal radius fractures-Preliminary findings.

Introduction: The bone healing process is very complex. In simple terms, bone healing comprises three basic steps, the inflammation phase, the repair phase and the remodelling phase. The increase in blood flow around the fracture during the healing process increases the temperature of the surrounding tissue.

Mathematical approximation of fibular malleolus curvature.

While there are several manuscripts describing the articular surfaces of the ankle joint and the fibula itself, there is no study describing the outer surface and the degree of curvature of the fibular malleolus. This paper aims to approximate the sagital curvature of the outer surface of the lateral malleolus mathematically. Such data would facilitate the design of the anatomic plate that can be used for the ostheosynthesis of the fibular malleolus fracture.

Operative management of unstable ankle fractures in the elderly: our institutional experience.

Ankle fractures represent an exceptionally common injury within the elderly population. The total incidence of ankle fractures has been reported to be up to 184 fractures per 100,000 persons per year, of which 20 to 30 percent occur in the elderly. This study reports the results of operative management of ankle fractures in the elderly, with regard to functional outcome and complication rates.