Stanford A aortic dissection 40 years after aortic valve replacement with a Starr-Edwards caged-ball prosthesis: a case report.

Stanford A aortic dissection is one of the most devastating acute medical conditions due to its high morbidity and mortality. We describe a 77-year-old male patient with a medical history of surgical aortic valve replacement with a still functioning Starr-Edwards caged-ball valve 40 years prior. The patient was promptly diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm and dissection, and an emergency Bentall procedure in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was performed.

Propensity-score matched comparison between minimally invasive and conventional aortic valve replacement.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mini-AVR) on clinical outcomes in comparison with the gold standard.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who underwent isolated AVR at the University Hospital Center Zagreb from 2010 to 2020. Patients undergoing mini-AVR were compared with patients undergoing conventional AVR (fs-AVR).

Definition of acetylsalicylic acid resistance using whole blood impedance aggregometry in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery.

A beneficial effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on vein graft patency has been described, but some patients experience adverse cardiac events despite appropriate ASA treatment. Study aim was to define ASA resistance using Multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) preoperatively in group of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Prospective observational trial at University Hospital Center Zagreb enrolled 131 patients scheduled for CABG, and divided them into 4 groups with respect to preoperative antiplatelet therapy (APT).

Bleeding risk assessment using whole blood impedance aggregometry and rotational thromboelastometry in patients following cardiac surgery.

Excessive bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is risk factor for adverse outcomes after elective cardiac surgery (ECS). Differentiating between patients who bleed due to surgical issues and those whose excessive chest tube output (CTO) is due to coagulopathy, remains challenging. Bedside suitable tests to identify hemostatic disturbances and predict excessive bleeding are desirable.

Bleeding risk assessment using multiple electrode aggregometry in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery.

Individual variability in the response to antiplatelet therapy (APT), frequently administered preoperatively, has been established by various platelet function assays and could reflect bleeding tendency after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Our hypothesis is that multiple electrode whole-blood aggregometry (MEA) can identify patients at risk for excessive bleeding. We enrolled 211 patients (155 male and 56 female) undergoing isolated CABG in a prospective observational study.

[Guidelines for prevention, control and treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): changes and updates of chapter 7.0: treatment of patients with MRSA infection].

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen throughout the world, and as well in Croatia. Therefore it was decided to develop guidelines with the aim to reduce the number of patients infected/colonized with MRSA in healthcare facilities and in nursing homes in Croatia, consequently reducing MRSA-related morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary team of experts developed these guidelines using existing international guidelines from different countries, and literature reviews about prevention, control, treatment and laboratory diagnosis of MRSA infections.

Surgical treatment of aortic dissection in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer.

Acute aortic dissection bears all the stigmata of a true clinical emergency. The natural history of this acute aortic syndrome warrants prompt surgical intervention, with only a few absolute contraindications to this line of treatment. We present a 74-year-old man with documented metastatic prostate cancer who underwent emergent surgery for acute Stanford A aortic dissection.

NT-pro-BNP, but not C-reactive protein, is predictive of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the most commonly observed complication following myocardial revascularisation surgery. We aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of N-terminal fragment of the brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), troponin T, transcoronary lactate gradient (TCLG) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as predictors of AF in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

Methods: This study included 215 consecutive patients in sinus rhythm (SR) undergoing elective CABG between May 2007 and May 2008.

Endomedullary radiofrequency ablation of metastatic lesion of the right femur 5 years after primary breast carcinoma: a case report.

Metastatic tumors of the long bones usually present with severe pain refractory to analgesic therapy. Pathologic fractures of the bone may lead to the significant decrease of patient's quality of life and necessitate further surgical therapy. We present 66 year old female with metastatic left breast carcinoma (T2N0M0) diagnosed 5 years before presentation of the metastatic lesion of the right femur causing severe pain in the middle of the right upper leg.

[Guidelines for prevention, control and treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)].

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen throughout the world, and in Croatia as well. Therefore it was decided to develop guidelines with the aim to reduce the number of patients infected/colonized with MRSA in healthcare facilities and in nursing homes in Croatia, consequently reducing MRSA-related morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary team of experts developed these guidelines using existing international guidelines from different countries, and literature reviews about prevention, control, treatment and laboratory diagnosis of MRSA infections.

Left ventricular fibroma mimicking an acute coronary syndrome.

Cardiac fibromas are exceedingly rare neoplasms. We report the case of a 21-year-old woman who presented with symptoms that were initially misinterpreted as an acute coronary syndrome. Radical surgical resection was undertaken and was considered curative, as the mass histology was consistent with a benign fibroma.