Publications by authors named "Sasa Rapan"

The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate clinical results before and after vertebroplasty in the treatment of myeloma-induced vertebral fractures. Success of the surgery was defined by increased or reduced pain intensity before and after the treatment, as assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). The study was designed as a retrospective-prospective study.

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Aim: To examine the quality of life in patients who underwent vertebroplasty treatment and compare it to the preoperative quality of life.

Study Design: The Cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek.

Patients And Methods: The research included 50 patients under stationary treatment in hospital at the Department of Orthopaedics.

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Aim To evaluate the effectiveness and complication of vertebroplasty with high viscosity cement (HVC). Methods The patients with intensive pain caused by a fractured vertebrae were treated by application of HVC into the vertebral body, through unilateral transpedicular approach. The application was performed in 422 patients (221 were treated for osteoporosis and 201 for malignancy) on 846 vertebrae.

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Aims: The middle of the patellar ligament and the quadruple hamstring tendons (gracilis and semitendinosus) are two types of graft predominantly used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric characteristics of patellar ligament grafts and hamstring tendon grafts and to compare the results according to subject age and gender.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted on a total of 120 samples: 40 of gracilis tendon, 40 of semitendinosus tendon and 40 of patellar ligament, distributed equally according to gender, age (50-75 years) and the side of the body from which the sample was harvested.

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Introduction: Two types of transplant are commonly used in the surgical management of anterior cruciate ligament lesions: the central part of the patellar ligament and quadruple tendons of the gracilis muscle and semitendinosus muscle.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the biomechanical characteristics of patellar ligament transplants and transplants of the quadruple tendons of the hamstring muscles under tensile force in the laboratory, and to compare the results in each group of samples.

Materials And Methods: The study comprised 160 specimens: 40 specimens of gracilis muscle tendons, 40 of semitendinosus muscle tendons, 40 of quadruple tendons and 40 of the patellar ligament, approximately equally distributed according to sex, age (50-70 years) and the side of the body from which the specimen had been taken.

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A simple model of cystic fibrosis (CF) is proposed, based on the apical membrane (ApM) potential. The ApM of epithelial cells is highly permeable to sodium and activation of CFTRs makes it permeable to chloride. Calculated ApM potentials of cells with activated cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulators (CFTRs) are between the sodium and chloride Nernst values and thus allow rapid absorption of both ions in exocrine glands.

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Out of 120 conventional hip joint X-rays, two indepenendent examiners have chosen 27 healthy and 62 coxarthrotic joints. Central parts of femoral head images were digitalized (300 points/inch) and pixel density values analysed. Two methods were applied separately to horizontal rows and to vertical columns: variance coefficient calculation and power coefficients of Fourier harmonics.

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Treatment of infected tibial nonunion with bone defect represents a challenge for every orthopaedic surgeon. Various methods of treatment have been described for nonunions with infection, bone loss or both. One of them is the central bone grafting technique, which is a safe and effective treatment for nonunions of the tibia.

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Trochanteric femoral fractures are a major problem in the elderly because of higher bone fragility due to osteoporosis. Numerous chronic illnesses, which usually affect the elderly, aggravate and complicate their surgical treatment. Trochanteric femoral fractures results in high morbidity and mortality in elderly patients.

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Lumbar disc hernia (LDH) is a common cause of low back pain and radicular leg pain. It is well known that the majority of LDH patients recover spontaneously. Since the advent of MRI, a spontaneous regression of fragment size of disc hernia occurs, as well as mitigation of subjective difficulties and neurological disorders.

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TLIF (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) is a method of interbody fusion, which is alternative to other vertebral fusion wherein, with an approach through intervertebral foramen, through lateral segment of intervertebral space, complications occurring with other methods are reduced. Today, there are numerous versions of this method in terms of implants and transplants. At our Department patients with axial pain resistant to conservative treatment of minimum six months underwent TLIF method with unilateral transpendicular fixation with polyaxial screws, CAGE filled with autologous transplant obtained by lamina resection, and posteromedial contralateral fusion.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the effectiveness of using bone cement to treat patients with severe pain from vertebra body fractures through a specific surgical approach, with pain levels assessed using the VAS scale before and after surgery.
  • A total of 55 patients, mostly elderly women, underwent the procedure on 85 vertebrae, including both metastatic and osteoporotic fractures, resulting in significant pain reduction 24 hours after surgery that was maintained over three months.
  • The research found that vertebroplasty is a safe and effective treatment option for these fractures, with most patients experiencing stable pain relief and only a few complications reported.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on the outcomes of using arthroscopy to remove metallic fragments from the knee joint after explosive war injuries in Croatia between 1991-1995.
  • A total of 25 knee joints were operated on, with foreign bodies detected in 19 patients and additional fragments in 6 patients' surrounding soft tissues.
  • The surgery was generally performed about a month post-injury, with various locations for foreign bodies found in the joint, and no complications reported during or after the surgery.
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Open total dislocation of a talus with extrusion (missing talus) is an extremely rare injury. We present a case of a 63-year-old male who sustained an open total lateral dislocation of the right talus with extrusion and without a concomitant fracture after a fall from a small height. Tibiocalcaneonavicular arthrodesis was performed.

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The study included 51 patients with tibia fractures, who underwent percutaneous bone reposition and stabilization with unrimed tibial locking nail. The results obtained using this method were compared with those obtained by standard fracture treatment where flat and anatomic plates were applied (n = 64). In patients who had osteosynthetic material implanted percutaneously (using unrimed tibial locking nail) there was no incidence of post surgical osteitis or any pseudarthrosis.

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