Predictors of anastomotic leak and conduit necrosis after oesophagectomy: Results from the oesophago-gastric anastomosis audit (OGAA).

Background: Both anastomotic leak (AL) and conduit necrosis (CN) after oesophagectomy are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the identification of preoperative, modifiable risk factors is desirable. The aim of this study was to generate a risk scoring model for AL and CN after oesophagectomy.

Mortality from esophagectomy for esophageal cancer across low, middle, and high-income countries: An international cohort study.

Background: No evidence currently exists characterising global outcomes following major cancer surgery, including esophageal cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise impact of high income countries (HIC) versus low and middle income countries (LMIC) on the outcomes following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Method: This international multi-center prospective study across 137 hospitals in 41 countries included patients who underwent an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, with 90-day follow-up.

Choices of Stent and Cerebral Protection in the Ongoing ACST-2 Trial: A Descriptive Study.

Objective/background: Several plaque and lesion characteristics have been associated with an increased risk for procedural stroke during or shortly after carotid artery stenting (CAS). While technical advancements in stent design and cerebral protection devices (CPD) may help reduce the procedural stroke risk, and anatomy remains important, tailoring stenting procedures according to plaque and lesion characteristics might be a useful strategy in reducing stroke associated with CAS. In this descriptive report of the ongoing Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial-2 (ACST-2), it was assessed whether choice for stent and use or type of CPD was influenced by plaque and lesion characteristics.

Establishment and activity of medical societies in Lower Styria - a review.

In the 1860s, the medical societies in Habsburg Monarchy, undertook a part of the medical postgraduate training. Doctors and wound surgeons from Ljubljana established medical association in October 1861 («Ärztlicher Leseverein in Laibach»). At a meeting in October 1862 they decided to include all the doctors and wound surgeons from the Carniola region.

Influencing segmental balance in isthmic spondylolisthesis using transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of the study was to analyze segmental balance in patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis undergoing single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).

Summary Of Background Data: Sagittal malalignment of the fused segment was suggested to be associated with degeneration of the adjacent segment.

Effects of a platelet gel on early graft revascularization after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.

Background: Slow graft healing in bone tunnels and a slow graft ligamentization process after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are some of the reasons for prolonged rehabilitation.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of platelet gel (PG) accelerates early graft revascularization after ACL reconstruction.

Methods: PG was produced from autologous platelet-rich plasma and applied locally.

The effect of platelet-derived growth factors on knee stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized clinical study.

Background: Arthroscopic reconstruction is a standard surgical procedure in cases of symptomatic knee instability due to rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Bone-tendon-bone and hamstring tendon grafts are both in use for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There are no significant differences between the two types of graft in relation to function scores, but there is a difference in anteroposterior stability when measured on the KT-2000 arthrometer: knee joints after reconstruction with bone-tendon-bone autografts are more stable than those reconstructed with hamstring tendon autografts.

ProDisc-C versus fusion with Cervios chronOS prosthesis in cervical degenerative disc disease: Is there a difference at 12 months?

Study Design:  Prospective cohort study.

Objective:  The aim of the study was to compare clinical results and to determine differences in outcomes between anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and disc arthroplasty in patients treated for symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease.

Methods:  Forty patients with cervical degenerative disc disease were treated with ProDisc-C disc arthroplasty and 40 patients with fusion using an intervetebral spacer with integrated fixation (Cervios chronoOS) implants without additional anterior fixation.

Association between sub-clinical acetabular dysplasia and a younger age at hip arthroplasty in idiopathic osteoarthritis.

This retrospective study was designed to investigate whether sub-clinical acetabular dysplasia, defined by a reduced centre-edge angle of Wiberg, was associated with a younger age at hip arthroplasty in patients with idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA). Fifty-four patients with 69 performed arthroplasties and no previous referral for hip dysplasia were selected from a list of consecutive recipients of hip endoprostheses due to idiopathic OA. The centre-edge angle was measured from standard pelvic radiographs taken a mean of 5.

The role of obesity, biomechanical constitution of the pelvis and contact joint stress in progression of hip osteoarthritis.

Objective: The aim of our study was to explore whether earlier hip arthroplasty for idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA) might be explained by enlarged contact stress in the hip joint, and to what amount can that be attributed to obesity and biomechanical constitution of the pelvis.

Method: Fifty subjects were selected from a list of consecutive recipients of hip endoprosthesis due to idiopathic OA; standard pelvic radiographs made years prior to surgery were the main selection criteria. For 65 hips resultant hip force and peak contact hip stress normalized to the body weight (R/Wb and p(max)/Wb) were determined from the radiographs with the HIPSTRESS method.

Reconstruction of the main portal vein for a large saccular aneurysm.

Background: A large aneurysm of the main portal vein is rare, and the appropriate surgical procedure is uncertain. Reconstruction of a main portal vein affected by a large saccular aneurysm is described.

Case Outline: Abdominal pain led to the diagnosis of a large saccular aneurysm of the main portal vein in a 58-year-old woman who had undergone cholecystectomy 10 years earlier.

Asymptomatic atherosclerosis and hypertension in nondiabetic patients with chronic kidney disease.

Atherosclerosis is accelerated in dialysis patients, but less is known about asymptomatic atherosclerosis and major risk factors in patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We compared intima media thickness (IMT) and plaque occurrence in the carotid arteries in 104 nondiabetic patients (stages 1-5 of CKD; mean age: 51.6 years) with those in 40 healthy control subjects.

Higher peak contact hip stress predetermines the side of hip involved in idiopathic osteoarthritis.

Background: Biomechanical parameters of the hip have been suggested to have an important influence on the development of osteoarthritis. We aimed to find out whether higher stress is generated in a hip that subsequently results in earlier hip arthroplasty compared to the contralateral hip in the same subject.

Methods: Standard anterior-posterior pelvic radiographs with no or subtle radiological signs of hip osteoarthritis, of 59 female patients, who underwent hip arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis years later, were selected from the archives.

Renal function after port access and median sternotomy mitral valve surgery.

Background: Acute renal injury is an important postoperative complication of mitral valve surgery. We tested the hypothesis that minimally invasive port access (PA) surgery is linked to a smaller postoperative renal injury compared to the standard median Sternotomy (MS) technique.

Methods: Ninety-six patients in the PA group and 102 patients in the MS group were compared regarding postoperative renal dysfunction.

Hemodialysis vascular access thrombosis and lipoprotein(a).

Background. Vascular access remains the Achilles's heel of successful hemodialysis and thrombosis is the leading cause of vascular access failure. Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels in hemodialysis patients were reported, and in some studies were also associated with hemodialysis vascular access thrombosis.

Non-insertion-related complications of central venous catheterization--temporary vascular access for hemodialysis.

The authors analyzed 309 central venous catheters (CVC) inserted in 147 hemodialysis patients before the maturation of the first or new arteriovenous fistula. One clinical manifestations of sepsis after CVC insertion was found. In all, 33.

Exonic, but not intronic polymorphisms of ESR1 gene might influence the hypolipemic effect of raloxifene.

Unlabelled: Studies have shown that selective modulator of estrogen receptor raloxifene, exerts hypolipemic properties at least partially through estrogen receptor alpha activation. To test the hypothesis that polymorphisms of estrogen receptor alpha are associated with the influence of 6 months raloxifene treatment on serum lipids, two intronic (PvuII and XbaI), and one exonic polymorphism (P325P) were analyzed in 49 postmenopausal women, mean age 62.5+/-5.

Relation between intracavernosal dose of prostaglandin Pge 1 and mean duration of erection in men with different underlying causes of erectile dysfunction.

Aim: To analyze differences in effect of intracavernosally applied alprostadil (prostaglandin PGE 1) on men with different underlying causes of erectile dysfunction.

Methods: Forty eight men with erectile dysfunction lasting for at least six months were stratified according to the etiology of erectile dysfunction into one of 4 groups comprising 12 patients. The groups were the following: psychogenic, arteriogenic, veno-occlusive, and neurological erectile dysfunction group.

Zosteriform lichen planus-like eruption.

Lichen planus (LP) is a relatively common papulosquamous skin disease of unknown etiology, it is believed to be a T-cell mediated disorder. In addition to the cutaneous eruptions it may also affect mucous membranes, nails or cause scarring alopecia. Lichen planus appears in various clinical variants which are categorized according to the morphology and configuration of lesions.

Accelerated atherosclerosis in pre-menopausal female patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was reported. Using B-mode ultrasonography we compared intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque occurrence (indicators of asymptomatic atherosclerosis) in the carotid arteries in 70 pre-menopausal, female RA patients and 40 controls. Correlations with different risk factors were evaluated.

Prognostic value of additional pathological variables for long-term survival after curative resection of rectal cancer.

Aim: To evaluate the prognostic value of some pathological variables in rectal cancer survival.

Methods: 247 patients who underwent curative resection of rectal cancer were included in the study. The influence on survival of five pathological variables (histopathological tumor type, histopathological tumor grade differentiation, blood vessel invasion, perineural invasion and lymphatic invasion) was assessed using statistical analyses.

Women and men with unstable angina and/or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: In unstable angina and/or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI), sex-related differences in outcomes are less well known than in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), where women experience worse outcomes than men. Our aim was a prospective comparison between men and women with UA/NSTEMI of baseline characteristics, in-hospital complications, mortality, reinfarctions and combined endpoint of mortality and/or reinfarction during hospital stay, at 30 days and at six months.

Methods: Initial medical treatment was given to 92 men and 47 women with UA/NSTEMI.

Hereditary diffuse palmoplantar keratodermas in Slovenia: epidemiologic foci in remote rural areas.

Background: Previous studies carried out in Slovenia revealed a high frequency of cases of hereditary diffuse palmoplantar keratodermas (DPPK). The relatively small total population of about two million in a small territory and an efficient public health service were favorable preconditions for such a study.

Methods: Existing hospital and outpatient department records served as starting points.