Advantages of isolated application of fibrin glue over suture in preservation of second-grade spleen lesion

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this procedure was to assess the safety and efficiency of glue application in the treatment of lienal second-degree lesions, compared with traditional suture method of treatment.

BACKGROUND

The spleen is the most frequently injured intra-abdominal structure regardless of injury mechanisms. Fibrin glue is a useful bio-adhesive for safe and efficient treatment of diffuse parenchymatous spleen haemorrhages.

METHODS

Seventy dogs under intravenous anaesthesia were subdued to spleen incision in length of 5 cm and depth of 2 cm. Forty animals from the experimental group were treated with fibrin glue preservation, and 30 animals from the control group were treated with suture. Removed spleens were histologically analyzed. No animal was sacrificed.

RESULTS

The application of fibrin glue allowed reparation to be accomplished in all cases. The effectiveness of primary repair was registered in 95 %, with only 5 % of cases requiring an application of fibrin omentoplasty. Secondary bleeding was registered only in 1 (2.5 %) case. Preservation with suture is primarily effective only in 40 %, requires additional repair in 23 %, and even 37 % of cases are not feasible. This method is characterized by mortality of 21 %, secondary haemorrhage (32 %), appearance of focal necrosis (42 %) and abscess (11 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Application of FG is a method of choice in cases of second-degree transcapsular spleen lesions and it has a considerable advantage over suture (Tab. 4, Fig. 6, Ref. 24).

Prognostic value of survivin expression in Wilms tumor

PURPOSE

To determine survivin expression patterns in Wilms tumor (WT) and compare it with the expression in normal renal tissue. Also, to analyse cytoplasmic and nuclear survivin expression in relation to histological type, prognostic group and tumor stage.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical expression of survivin was analysed in 59 cases of primary WT and in 10 normal kidney specimens, taken from the same patients, but distant from the tumor.

RESULTS

51 out of 59 cases of WT (86.44%) showed decreased cytoplasmic survivin expression and 4 out of 59 cases of WT (6.78%) showed nuclear overexpression of survivin. There was statistically significant difference in the frequency of decreased cytoplasmic expression of survivin in individual components of WT (p=0.005). Decreased cytoplasmic expression of survivin in epithelial, blastemal and stromal component was found significantly more often in low stage WT compared to high stage WT (Fisher exact test, p=0.0002, p=0.002, p=0.002, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of survivin nuclear overexpression between different stages of WT (Fisher exact test, p=0.564), histological types (Fisher exact test, p=0.915), or between different prognostic groups (Fisher exact test, p=1).

CONCLUSION

Decreased survivin cytoplasmic expression or nuclear overexpression may be related to favorable prognosis of WT.

Can the official soccer game be considered the most important contribution to player's physical fitness level?

AIM

During competitive soccer match play, elite players are subdued to vigorous physical and psychological strains. Thus, some changes in overall physical fitness can be expected. The objective of this paper was to determine whether official games influence physical fitness in soccer players.

METHODS

The participants were divided according to the number of minutes spent in the game as well as according to some additional criteria into starters (STA; N.=33, >1000 minutes spent in the official game) and non-starters (NON; N.=31, <1000 minutes spent in the official game). Both groups participated in the initial (end of pre-season) and in the final testing procedures (one week after the end of the competition period). The total of 24 variables covered players' power performance, kicking the ball, aerobic capacity, agility and flexibility.

RESULTS

The STA group showed positive significant differences (P<0.05) from the NON group in 21 out of 24 variables. The most significant findings of this study point to the fact that official games help in maintaining and improving agility parameters (6 out of 7 tests) as well as in maintaining and improving overall power performance of soccer players which includes sprinting, jumping and kicking the ball.

CONCLUSION

Due to specific physiological and psychological factors, official matches make it possible for the starters to develop the mentioned aspects to a higher level when compared to the non-starting team colleagues.

Diagnostic value of the nuclear matrix protein 22 test and urine cytology in upper tract urothelial tumors

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnostic value of the nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) test in comparison to urine cytology for the detection of upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (n = 34) and patients with renal calculosis (n = 25) were included in this study. Voided urine samples and separated catheter urine specimens were assayed for NMP22 and cytological examination.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of the NMP22 test in separated and voided urine was 73.2 and 70.5%, respectively, compared to 64.7 and 58.8% of urine cytology. The specificity of the NMP22 test in separated and voided urine was 88 and 92%, respectively, compared to 96 and 96% of urine cytology. The combination of separated and voided urine is the best method because the sensitivity is 79.41% and specificity 88%. There is a high agreement of the NMP22 test in voided and separated urine (kappa = 0.795, p < 0.01), indicating that the voided urine is adequate for diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The NMP22 test has higher sensitivity but lower specificity than cytology. The combination of these two tests could be a very useful diagnostic method for detection of upper urothelial tumors.

Analysis of cutaneous melanoma in the province of Vojvodina

PURPOSE

To analyse the incidence and mortality of melanoma in the province of Vojvodina - the north part of Serbia- from the epidemiologic and clinical point of view.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, we used databases of the Cancer Registry of Vojvodina, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina in Sremska Kamenica; Clinical Centre of Vojvodina in Novi Sad; Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina in Novi Sad; and Institute of Public Health of Serbia in Belgrade.

RESULTS

The incidence and mortality of melanoma in Vojvodina is permanently increasing over the last three decades. The number of newly diagnosed and deceased patients was higher in men and in women in Vojvodina than in central Serbia. Considering the incidence rate, the region of Vojvodina would be placed in the middle of the European countries. The results are more unfavorable with mortality, especially in male population, similar to the range of higher mortality rates among European countries.

CONCLUSION

These upsetting facts call for improvement of primary and secondary prevention. Education of the population, continuous efforts to recognize groups of population at high risk for developing melanoma and detection of early phases of the disease increases the chances for cure and significantly reduces treatment costs.