Ionizing radiation has many practical applications, but it is also, as it is well known, dangerous to human health. The purpose of this study was to estimate the dose and exposure for medical staff involved in sentinel node assay and to determine how safe this assay really is. The theoretical method was used for calculation. Three groups of medical staff were selected: nuclear medicine specialist, nuclear medicine technologist and a surgeon. The results obtained show that the most exposed staff member is nuclear medicine specialist and that dose received by the surgeon is smaller then the dose limit.

The aim of the study was to ascertain the existence of intestinal metaplasia in gastric mucosa of patients with gastric carcinoma coupled with H. pylori positive chronic atrophic gastritis and possible connection of IM with the development of gastric carcinoma. The paper presents prospective study that included 50 patients with gastric carcinoma and 50 patients with chronic atrophic H. pylori positive gastritis. All the patients were subjected to gastroscopy as well as biopsy targeted at antrum, lesser curvature and corpus and at the area 1-2 cm removed from tumor lesion. Biopsy samples were sliced by microtome and stained. We analyzed presence, frequency and severity of inflammatory-regenerative, metaplastic and dysplastic changes in the mucosa and evaluated their prognostic value. We typed IM immunohistochemically. This study confirmed responsibility of H. pylori for inflammatory events in gastric mucosa in patients with gastric carcinoma. According to our findings incomplete IM of types IIa and IIb as precancerous lesion is responsible for the development of gastric carcinoma and is associated with chronic atrophic gastritis grade I and II (92% of subjects, p=0.0097, h=1, p=0.01). Thus, the finding of incomplete intestinal metaplasia may be used as an indicator for early gastric carcinoma detection. Patients with patho-histologically verified incomplete intestinal metaplasia associated with active chronic atrophic gastritis of levels I and II represent risk group for the development of gastric carcinoma of intestinal type.

Pineal gland has and antistressogenic role. Its main hormone, melatonin, has radio protective effect on endocrine and other dynamic tissues. In our previous study, we have shown that pinealectomy changes the behavior of suprarenal gland in totally irradiated rats. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of exogenous melatonin on suprarenal gland of rats with or without pineal gland. Four months after pinealectomy (experimental group) or shampinealectomy (control group), adult Wistar male rats were daily treated with 0,2 mg of melatonin intraperitoneally, during two weeks. Thereafter, all animals were totally irradiated with 8 Gy of Gamma rays produced from Cobalt 60. Animals who survived were sacrificed on the 17(th) post irradiation day. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the suprarenal gland were studied using histological methods. The results show that exogenous melatonin had protective role on suprarenal gland in totally irradiated rats and that those effects were more pronounced in the presence of pineal gland.

The coronary collateral circulation is an alternative source of blood supply to the myocardium jeopardized by the failure of the original stenotic or occluded vessel to provide adequate blood flow to this region. One hundred coronary angiograms and left ventriculograms of patients with coronary artery disease from the Cardiology Department of University Clinics Centre in Sarajevo were reviewed. The role of collateral circulation in preserving myocardial function was assessed by comparing regional left ventricular contractility in 34 instances of total arterial occlusion and adequate colateral circulation with that in 34 instances of total arterial occlusion and inadequate collateral circulation. Among the group with adequate collaterals, regional left ventricular contraction was normal in 41%, hypokinetic in 53% and akinetic or dyskinetic in only 5%. Among the group with inadequate collaterals, regional contraction was normal in 9%, hypokinetic in 20 % and akinetic or dyskinetic in 70%. These data indicate that collateral circulation plays an important role in preserving myocardial contractility in patients with coronary artery disease.

The aim of our study was to establish the influence of antidepressive drugs on serum and brain beta-endorphins in experimental animals. Experiment was performed on albino Wistar rats. Antidepressant amitryptiline was used, and for quantification of sera and brain beta-endorphins RIA technique. Our results showed difference between sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration in amitryptiline pretreated animals, vs. those in serum and brain of control group treated with 0.95% NaCl. This study shows that use of psychoactive drugs have influence on sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration. Beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of antidepressant drug effects.

During the 1992-1995 siege, as well as after the war activities, citizens of Sarajevo were most probably exposed to various potential genotoxic agents. The effects of those potential genotoxins were evaluated by micronucleus-cytokinesis blocked assay. The study included 30 individuals who resided in the area of Sarajevo during the war and the postwar period. Point bi-serial coefficient analysis did not reveal any relationship between the frequencies of binuclear cells with micronuclei as well as total number of micronuclei and smoking habits or gender. Simple linear regression revealed statistically significant positive correlation between the age and micronuclei formation. Due to the war related environmental contamination more extensive study is recommended.

Following the abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions often occur and they can cause difficulties during laparoscopic operations. However, previous laparotomy is not considered to be a contraindication for laparoscopy. The aim of this study is to present that an insertion of Veres needle in the region of umbilicus is a safe method for creating a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic operations after previous laparotomy. In the last three years, we have performed 144 laparoscopic operations in patients that previously underwent one or two laparotomies. Pathology of digestive system, genital organs, Cesarean Section or abdominal war injuries were the most common causes of previous laparotomy. During those operations or during entering into abdominal cavity we have not experienced any complications, while in 7 patients we performed conversion to laparotomy following the diagnostic laparoscopy. In all patients an insertion of Veres needle and trocar insertion in the umbilical region was performed, namely a technique of closed laparoscopy. Not even in one patient adhesions in the region of umbilicus were found, and no abdominal organs were injured.