Giant Spinal Schwannoma in a 76-year-old Woman--A Case Report.

A schwannoma is a benign nerve sheath tumor composed of Schwann cells. Spinal schwannoma originates from dorsal roots of the spinal cord, causing symptoms due to the compression of neighboring structures. We present a patient with a low back pain and left L2 and L3 radiculopathy. Neuroimaging techniques (CT, MRI) showed a large expansive mass in the left lumbar paraspinal area. The tumor was removed totally by the posterior approach and was verified to originate from the left L2 spinal nerve root. The histopathological examination revealed typical findings of a schwannoma. The pain was resolved promptly after the surgery, however the patient's neurological condition wasn't improved. Surgical treatment was a final treatment, and no additonal therapy was necessary.

The role of videomediastinoscopy in staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most frequent malignant disease and the leading cause of death from malignant diseases in the world and its incidence is increasing. At the time when diagnosis is established most patients have advanced disease and are not candidates for radical surgical treatment. Patients without distant metastases are subjected to various diagnostic methods to detect metastases in mediastinal lymph nodes that make up the path of lymph drainage from the lungs. The most reliable invasive diagnostic procedures for detecting metastases in mediastinal lymph nodes are videomediastinoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound with transtracheal puncture. In the absence of mediastinal lymph node metastases surgery is the treatment of choice. If mediastinal lymph nodes are positive for metastases multimodal treatment is implemented. At the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zadar General Hospital, videomediastinoscopy for the staging of primary non-small cell lung cancer has been performed routinely since September 2009.

Venomous snakebites in the Croatian North Dalmatia region.

AIM: The aim of this research project is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory attributes of venomous snakebites and to ascertain the timely and efficient treatment at the location where the incident took place or in varying clinical conditions. METHODS: Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data were collected from people who were bitten by venomous snakes as well as treatments at Zadar General Hospital during a span of eleven years (1999-2009) which were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: During that period, 93 people were bitten by venomous snakes of which 57 patients (62%) were male and 36 (38%) were female. In 82 cases (90%), the bite area was localized on the limbs while in the remaining 11 cases the bite area was located elsewhere. At the time of the venomous snakebite, 31 (33%) patients were performing leisure activities and 44 (47.31%) of them were at work. The most common local snakebite signs are swelling and pain at the bite site (93 patients; 100%), hematomas and ecchymoses (87 patients; 89%). Of the affected patients, 8 suffered from compartment syndrome and one person (0.97%) expired. CONCLUSION: Antivenom treatment for preventing possible allergic reactions should take place at the medical institution where the victim was transported. However, when transport is not immediately available or in cases where the victim shows clear signs of envenomation, antivenom treatment should be used immediately because its effect is weaker if the venom is allowed to run its course.

Fist fractures at child's age.

The aim of this work is to confirm or deny the hypothesis that the fist fracture medical treatment at child's age in the General Hospital in Zadar does not differ much from the medical treatment method in other centers which have already published their results. The work is based on the retrospective study. The examinees are children with fist fractures in the General Hospital in Zadar from 1999 to 2003. The control group is formed by the examinees of the published studies about children fist fractures, which have been collected and statistically elaborated. The examinees of our group and the control group are classified by the same criterion: age, sex, place, sort and type of fracture as well as the method of medical treatment. The used statistical methods are the testing of frequency differences and chi2 test. Statistically essential differences between our group and the control group have been noticed. There are also differences among the control group subgroups. The difference in the method of medical treatment is statistically essential and shows that the methods are not the same as in our group and the control group. The surgical way of treatment is less represented by our results than in those of the control group. The different attitude in medical treatment is conditioned by the attitude that surgical intervention of finger bones does not always give us the expected functional result.