The Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries' Perspective on Global Neurosurgery Collaborations.

Background And Objectives: Access to neurosurgical care is limited in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and in marginalized communities in high-income countries (HICs). International partnerships represent one possible means of addressing this issue. Insights from surgeons in HICs have been explored, but data from LMICs' counterparts are scarce.

Results of Treating Mild to Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis with Autologous Conditioned Adipose Tissue and Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Much progress has been made in regenerative medicine for the symptomatic treatment of KOA, including products containing stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiological findings after the application of autologous conditioned adipose tissue (ACA) and leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP) in patients with mild to moderate KOA.

Global neurosurgery amongst the EANS community: Where are we at?

•Awareness of Global Neurosurgery opportunities is limited in the EANS and a minority have had previous experiences with such activities.•Most training programs and job environments don't encourage participation in Global Neurosurgery and mentors are lacking.•However, most European neurosurgeons and trainees remain interested in Global Neurosurgery and are willing to participate.

A Prospective Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided Focal Salvage High-dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Radiorecurrent Prostate Cancer: Updated Results of 30 Patients.

Purpose: Limited prospective data on focal salvage high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy is available. We sought to explore the toxicities, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and efficacy of focal salvage HDR brachytherapy in a prospective clinical trial. This report presents the updated results of previously published data.

Cytokines and Chemokines Involved in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis.

Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability worldwide. Although commonly referred to as a disease of the joint cartilage, osteoarthritis affects all joint tissues equally. The pathogenesis of this degenerative process is not completely understood; however, a low-grade inflammation leading to an imbalance between anabolic and katabolic processes is a well-established factor.

Comprehensive Review of Knee Osteoarthritis Pharmacological Treatment and the Latest Professional Societies' Guidelines.

Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal progressive disease, with the knee as the most commonly affected joint in the human body. While several new medications are still under research, many symptomatic therapy options, such as analgesics (opioid and non-opioid), nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis, and preparations for topical administration, are being used, with a diverse clinical response and inconsistent conclusions across various professional societies guidelines. The concept of pharmacogenomic-guided therapy, which lies on principles of the right medication for the right patient in the right dose at the right time, can significantly increase the patient's response to symptom relief therapy in knee osteoarthritis.

Incidence and Geographical Variability of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Croatia: Data From the Croatian National Registry for Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The aim of this study was to determine the annual incidence and geographic distribution of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Croatia. This is a prospective, cohort, multicenter observational study based on the data obtained from the Croatian national registry for children with IBD. Children and adolescents younger than 18 years diagnosed with IBD, in time period between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017, were recruited.

IBD phenotype at diagnosis, and early disease-course in pediatric patients in Croatia: data from the Croatian national registry.

Background: Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents with extensive phenotype. The aim of this study was to determine the phenotype of pediatric IBD patients in Croatia at diagnosis and follow-up.

Methods: Children were prospectively recruited into Croatian IBD national registry.

Evolutionary medicine perspective on coping style and health outcomes: an exploratory study.

One of the issues within the framework of Darwinian medicine is why individuals develop the specific disease they do. Ethologists have long known that within any given population, there are organisms with the tendency towards higher () or lower () aggressiveness, and since the physiological responses to stressful events are different in and it has been suggested that these strategies might be related to health outcomes. The aims of this exploratory study were to determine whether an analogues of and as basic coping strategies could be defined among chronically ill patients and healthy controls and whether the proportion of and differs among different groups of patients.

Self-expandable metal stent for dysphagia caused by mediastinal masses in patients with lung cancer.

Background And Study Aims: We intended to evaluate the role of self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) for palliation of malignant dysphagia in patients with lung cancer.

Patients And Methods: During the period between May 2015 and September 2017, 42 SEMS have been placed for malignant dysphagia in patients with lung cancer. Stents have been placed under combined fluoroscopic and endoscopic guidance.

Posterior fragment in ankle fractures: anteroposterior vs posteroanterior fixation.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare reduction quality and functional outcome of posterior malleolus fractures treated with indirect reduction and anteroposterior (AP) fixation or with direct reduction via a posterolateral approach and posteroanterior (PA) fixation.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with trimalleolar fracture were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomised in two groups: indirect reduction and AP fixation (AP group) and direct reduction and PA fixation (PA group).

Tibial plateau fracture management: arthroscopically-assisted versus ORIF procedure - clinical and radiological comparison.

Introduction: Tibial plateau fractures are articular injuries that may influence final functional outcome of the knee. Although these fractures comprise only 1% of all fractures, the fracture pattern is usually complex and requires anatomical reduction and absolutely stable fixation to achieve satisfactory results. The development of knee osteoarthritis is a common late complication and it can be strongly influenced by additional, underestimated cartilage defects, and meniscal and ligament tears.

Cervical HPV type-specific pre-vaccination prevalence and age distribution in Croatia.

The main etiological factor of precancerous lesion and invasive cervical cancer are oncogenic human papillomaviruses types (HPVs). The objective of this study was to establish the distribution of the most common HPVs in different cervical lesions and cancer prior to the implementation of organized population-based cervical screening and HPV vaccination in Croatia. In this study, 4,432 cervical specimens, collected through a 16-year period, were tested for the presence of HPV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with three sets of broad-spectrum primers and type-specific primers for most common low-risk (LR) types (HPV-6, 11) and the most common high-risk (HR) types (HPV-16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58).

Effects of antidiabetic drugs on the incidence of macrovascular complications and mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a new perspective on sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors.

Elevated hemoglobin A (HbA) values correlate with microvascular and macrovascular complications. Thus, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at an increased risk of developing macrovascular events. Treatment of T2DM should be based on a multifactorial approach because of its evidence regarding reduction of macrovascular complications and mortality in T2DM.

Osteoporosis and polymorphisms of osteoprotegerin gene in postmenopausal women - a pilot study.

Objectives: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) has an important role in bone remodeling, and it has been proposed that the OPG gene might be a candidate gene for osteoporosis predisposition. Several studies have already assessed the connection between OPG gene polymorphism and bone mineral density (BMD). In this study we wanted to analyze the association of two polymorphisms in the OPG gene with BMD and bone turnover markers in women with and without osteoporosis.

Distribution of organic anion transporters NaDC3 and OAT1-3 along the human nephron.

The initial step in renal secretion of organic anions (OAs) is mediated by transporters in the basolateral membrane (BLM). Contributors to this process are primary active Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.

Regional bone loss following femoral neck fracture: A comparison between cemented and cementless hemiarthroplasty.

The aim of this prospective, randomised study was to measure and evaluate regional bone mineral changes and clinical results following the use of cemented and cementless hemiarthroplasty (HA) for treatment of femoral neck fracture in elderly patients. The study comprised 60 patients, 30 with cemented HA (group A) and 30 with cementless HA (group B). All patients underwent osteodensitometry of the contralateral hip, lumbar spine and bilateral distal femur.

Minimally-invasive plate osteosynthesis in distal tibial fractures: Results and complications.

Introduction: Distal tibial or pilon fractures are usually the result of combined compressive and shear forces, and may result in instability of the metaphysis, with or without articular depression, and injury to the soft tissue. The complexity of injury, lack of muscle cover and poor vascularity make these fractures difficult to treat. Surgical treatment of distal tibial fractures includes several options: external fixation, IM nailing, ORIF and minimally-invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO).

Diagnosis of occult radial head and neck fracture in adults.

The purpose of this study was to compare imaging modalities in the diagnosis of occult radial head and neck fractures and to assess the diagnostic value of ultrasound in diagnosing occult fractures of the radial head and neck. The study included 193 patients (101 male, 92 female) who were referred by trauma surgeons from January 2011 to July 2014 and presented with history of acute elbow trauma. The mean age of the patients was 37 years (range 15-82 years); 95 right and 98 left elbows were included in the study.

Internal fixation of patellar apex fractures with the basket plate: 25 years of experience.

Introduction: Comminution of the patellar apex is amenable to internal fixation by standard techniques and usually requires partial patellectomy. In our institution, multifragmentary fractures of the distal pole are treated with the basket plate, which is shaped to fit the geometry of the patellar apex. This implant has been used in our institution for over 25 years.

New cementless fixation in hip arthroplasty: a radiostereometric analysis.

Introduction: Scyon Orthopaedics AG developed a new mode of cementless fixation of the femoral component that provides immediate and permanent anchorage by monocortical locking screws. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of the Scyon total hip replacement (THR) stem in-vivo.

Methods: A total of 15 patients, with an average age of 50 years had surgery between 2008 and 2011.

Surgical treatment for nasal polyposis: predictors of outcome.

Nasal polyps recur in approximately one-third of patients after surgical treatment. It would be beneficial to be able to predict the patients in whom we might expect recurrence and to predict the clinical outcome after surgery. The study included 30 patients operated for nasal polyps.

Serotonin risk factors for the development of hypertension in pregnancy.

Purpose: To determine platelet serotonin (5-HT) concentrations and genotype and allele frequencies of serotonergic type 2A receptor gene (HTR2A) and 5-HT transporter gene (SLC6A4) in women with pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension without proteinuria (PIH) and in control normotensive pregnant women.

Methods: The study included 96 control women, 131 women with PIH and 84 women with pre-eclampsia (ICD-10 criteria) in the last trimester of pregnancy. Variants of the HTR2A T102C (rs6313) and SLC6A4 (5-HTTLPR and rs25531) were determined by the PCR and real-time PCR procedures.

Secular trends in parental age in Croatia from 1985-2009.

Background: In developed countries general living conditions and living standard have grown, leading to reproductive and other secular changes. During the past decade in Croatia living conditions and living standard have improved.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine changes in reproductive secular trend in our country similar to trends in developed countries considering different and improved living conditions in Croatia.

Periprosthetic bone loss following hemiarthroplasty: a comparison between cemented and cementless hip prosthesis.

The aim of this prospective randomized clinical study was to evaluate the magnitude of bone mineral changes as well as the clinical results after cemented and cementless haemiarthroplasty (HA) for femoral neck fracture. The study was comprised of 60 patients (mean age 85.2 years); 30 of them underwent cemented HA and 30 cementless HA.