Absorbable vs. non-absorbable suture: which one gives better results?

Background: There is no ideal suture material or ideal sewing technique. The type of suture material affects the quality of the scars. Patient and surgeon satisfaction with the quality and comfort of the scar is one of the main goals of modern surgery.

Clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma in Serbia--the Melanoma Focus Study.

Background/aim: Treatment options for metastatic melanoma in Serbia are limited due to the lack of newly approved biologic agents and the lack of clinical studies. Also, there is a paucity of data regarding the treatment approaches in different tertiary centers and efficacy of available chemotherapy protocols. The aim of this study was to obtain more detailed data about treatment protocols in Serbia based on structured survey in tertiary oncology centers.

A 5-year retrospective analysis of necrotizing fasciitis--a single center experiences.

Background/aim: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is usually an acute infection of superficial fascia with rapid progression in around soft tissue. If not promptly recognized and aggressively treated NF usualy leads to sepsis and multiorgan failure with fatal outcome, thus early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment are crucial for healing of these patients. The aim of this article was to evaluate the clinical presentation of all patients with acute NF diagnosed and treated in surgical clinics of Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Estimating disability and quality of life after different degrees of hand and forearm trauma.

Background/aim: Hand injuries comprise up to one fourth of all injuries and require excellent skills and aggressive physical therapy with still a high potential to cause long term physical and functional disability which affects one's quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate disability and quality of life in patients with different degrees of hand and forearm injuries using the two different scoring sistems and to examine the correlation between them.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed among patients operated on at our clinic due to acute hand and forearm trauma during the period of two years.

Melanoma risk prediction models.

Background/aim: The lack of effective therapy for advanced stages of melanoma emphasizes the importance of preventive measures and screenings of population at risk. Identifying individuals at high risk should allow targeted screenings and follow-up involving those who would benefit most. The aim of this study was to identify most significant factors for melanoma prediction in our population and to create prognostic models for identification and differentiation of individuals at risk.

Psychosocial characteristics and motivational factors in woman seeking cosmetic breast augmentation surgery.

Background/aim: There are various opinions regarding the factors motivating women to undergo breast augmentation. The aim of this study was to estimate motivation for augmentation mammaplasty (AM), self-esteem and body image perception in breast augmentation patients.

Methods: This prospective study involved AM patients operated in the Clinical Center of Vojvodina during a 3-year period.

Dysplastic nevus--a risk factor of developing skin melanoma clinical and epidemiological study with retrospective review of literature.

Dysplastic nevus is a risk factor for developing skin melanoma. The aim was to analyze patients with both skin melanoma and dysplastic nevi. A 10-year retrospective analysis (1999-2009) was conducted at the Department for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical Centre Vojvodina.