The evaluation of hazardous element content in the needles of the Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) that originated from anthropogenic activities in the vicinity of the native habitats.

The aim of this research was to quantify the content of hazardous elements in the needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) in the natural habitats that were accumulated from thermal power plants, mines, and metal processing industry. Fifteen natural populations of the Norway spruce were sampled from the mountain ranges in Southeastern Europe (Dinaric Alps and Balkan Mountains).

Transplantation of infant kidneys--The surgical technique en bloc and transplant position variation: A case report.

Introduction: Due to the ever-present lack of kidney transplant grafts, more and more organs obtained from the so-called "marginal donors" group are accepted, which can provide suboptimal effect of transplantation, depending on their characteristics and/or implantation techniques.

Case Report: We presented a case with successful variation of kidney position with modified approach of kidney transplantation from an infant to an adult female patient with normal postoperative recovery. Urethral anastomosis was performed without antireflux procedure and this has not led to the development of reflux disease at an early stage.

The analysis of the connection between plaque morphology of asymptomatic carotid stenosis and ischemic brain lesions.

Background/aim: A certain percentage of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis have an unstable carotid plaque. For these patients it is possible to register the existence of lesions of the brain parenchyma - the silent brain infarction. These patients have a greater risk of ischemic stroke by modern imaging methods.

Stent graft infixation after venous dislodgement in a patient with femoral posttraumatic arteriovenous fistula.

Introduction: An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein which may result from traumatic injury or may occur as congenital abnormality. Stent graft repair through arteriovenous fistula could lead to complications.

Case Report: Endovascular stent graft repair in a 23-year-old patient with posttraumatic superficial femoral arteriovenous fistula was performed to cover a fistula.

Analysis of associated diseases in patients with acute critical lower limb ischemia.

Introduction: Acute critical lower limb ischemia refers to the state of severely impaired vitality of lower limbs due to acute occlusion of arterial blood vessel by a thrombus or emboli. Surgical revascularization in the first 6-12 hours after the onset of symptoms gives the best results. However, a high mortality rate and probability of limb loss make this problem more debatable, and can be related with associated diseases.

An analysis of the influence of intra-operative blood salvage and autologous transfusion on reducing the need for allogeneic transfusion in elective infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Background: An intra-operative cell salvage machine, commonly known as a "cell saver", aspirates, washes, and filters patient's blood during an operation so that the blood can be returned to the patient's circulation instead of being discarded. This procedure could significantly reduce the risks related to the use of allogeneic blood and blood products in surgery. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of intra-operative cell salvage on reducing the need for allogeneic blood in patients with asymptomatic infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm undergoing elective repair of the aneurysm.

[Out-of-hospital treatment in case of drowning].

Introduction: Drowning is a leading preventable cause of unintentional morbidity and mortality. The dominant pathophysiological mechanism of drowning includes the development of acute hypoxia.

First Aid: The rescue procedure of a drowning person includes careful pulling the victim out of the water, examination, maintenance of the airways passable and urgent transfer to hospital.

Surgical treatment of big splenic artery aneurysm--case report.

An aneurysm has been defined as a permanent local dilatation of the diameter of an artery by at least 50% of its normal value. A splenic artery aneurysm is most frequently a visceral artery aneurysm and clinically it is usually asymptomatic but potentially life-threatening at the same time, with the incidence of its rupturing being 2-10% and then the mortality rate ranges from 20 to 36%. A 51-year-old female patient was admitted to the Department of Vascular and Transplantation Surgery in Novi Sad having been found to have a big splenic artery aneurysm during the ultrasound examination of her abdomen after cholecystectomy.

[Surgical treatment of a giant extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm--a case report].

Introduction: True aneurysms of the extracranial internal carotid artery are rare lesions. Surgical treatment is considered to be the best therapeutic option. However, the use of the intraluminal shunt remains controversial.

[Effects of intermittent negative pressure ventilation on impaired microcirculation in diabetes--a case report].

Introduction: Generally impaired microcirculation, with microvascular and neuropathic complications, is one of the most severe consequences of diabetes mellitus. Considering the fact that drug therapy ad physical training may have adverse effects, we decided to utilize the beneficial effects of hypobaric sac treatment on skin microcirculation (using Greensac-Iskra Medical, Slovenia).

Case Report: A female patient, 64 years of age, with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus type IIb (last 18 years) complained of intermittent claudication (the pain score after a 150 m walk was 7, on a scale from 1 to 10).

[Results of autovenous femoro-distal bypass procedures in the type III peripheral obliterative arterial disease of the extremities in diabetic and nondiabetic patients].

Introduction: It has been established that infrainguinal occlusive disease, type III peripheral obliterative arterial disease (POAD), is more common in diabetics than in non-diabetics. It is presumeable that after surgical treatment of this arterial segment diabetics develop more complications and higher mortality rate than non-diabetics. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of reconstructive surgical treatment of diabetic and non-diabetic patients with type III PAOD.

[Femoro-popliteal reconstructions: "in situ" versus "reversed" technique: comparative results].

Introduction: Infrainguinal arterial reconstruction is a procedure with two main types of autologous venous grafts: reversed-vein bypass grafting, and the in situ bypass grafting. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages, and the aim of this study was to compare the results of each technique.

Material And Methods: In the period from 1999 to 2003, 118 patients with infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease (IAOD) underwent reconstruction surgery at the Vascular and Transplantation Surgery Clinic in Novi Sad.