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Introduction/Objective. Rib fractures are common in blunt chest trauma (BCT), and when they are associated with pleural complications (PC) – pneumothorax, hemothorax and hemopneumothorax – the treatment of these patients is prolonged and difficult. Without the ability to predict PC after rib fractures in BCT, most doctors are forced to initially treat these patients through observation and conservative treatment. The goal of this research is to determine which of the investigated biomarkers of inflammation – fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) – are significantly associated with the occurrence of PC after rib fracture in BCT, and whether they can be used in stratifying patients for hospitalization and further treatment. Methods. The prospective study included 90 patients with rib fractures caused by BCT. The test group comprised 45 patients with rib fractures and the presence of PC, and the control group consisted of 45 patients with rib fractures without PC. Blood sampling was performed on admission, on the second, third, and fifth day after the injury, and PC were monitored until the seventh day after the injury. Results. Serum values of IL-6 on the second day and fibrinogen and CRP on the second and third day after injury were statistically significantly higher in patients with PC, and IL-6 showed a good discriminative ability in assessing the occurrence of PC on the second day after a rib fracture in BCT. Conclusion. The investigated biomarkers of inflammation – fibrinogen, IL-6, and CRP – can be used as predictors of PC after rib fracture in BCT, and their application can significantly replace clinical observation.

Introduction/Objective. In this study, we have pointed out the immunohistomorphometric characteristics of somatotropic (GH) and folliculostellate (FS) cells of the male pituitary gland during ageing. Methods. On histological sections of the pituitary gland of 14 male cadavers of different ages, the GH and FS cells were immunohistochemically labeled with corresponding antibodies, monoclonal anti-GH antibody, and polyclonal anti-S100 antibody, respectively. Immunopositive GH- and FS-cells were further morphometrically analyzed using ImageJ software. Results. The obtained results of morphometric analysis showed that the surface area of GH cells increased significantly with age. In these cells, the nuclear–cytoplasmic ratio gradually decreased and became significantly higher after the age of 70 years. The volume density of GH cells has not changed during ageing, while in FS cells this parameter significantly increased in the cases older than 70 years. The nuclear–cytoplasmic ratio of GH cells is negatively correlated with the volume density of FS cells. Conclusion. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that hypertrophy of GH and FS cells occurs in men with ageing and that correlation between the morphometric parameters of these two cell types indicates their mutual interaction.

Introduction/Objective. This 10-year prospective study’s primary objective was to evaluate the incidence of complications of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). The secondary objective was to analyze how RRP affects lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life (QoL) by using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Methods. We analyzed 254 patients who underwent RRP in the period 2009–2018. All complications were graded according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. To assess urinary symptoms and the QoL, all the examinees filled out the IPSS and the International Prostate Symptom Score for QoL (IPSS QoL) questionnaires during preoperative preparation and three, six, and 12 months after surgery. Results. The incidence of complications Clavien–Dindo grade ≤ II and grade ≥ III were 26.4% and 16.5%, respectively. The mean overall IPSS for the entire group of patients after 12 months of follow-up was significantly different from the preoperative baseline value (p < 0.001). Patients with preoperative moderate (IPSS 8–19) and severe urinary symptoms (IPSS 20+) had a statistically significant reduction of urinary symptoms after RRP (p < 0.001). After 12 months, IPSS QoL was statistically significantly lower than the preoperative one (p < 0.05). Conclusion. For patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, RRP is a safe and effective treatment option. It is associated with a higher rate of complications from the Clavien–Dindo grade ≤ II group. RRP has clinically beneficial effects on LUTS in patients with moderate and severe urinary symptoms and the QoL related to LUTS.

Introduction/Objective. The ideal reconstruction procedure after total gastrectomy should replace all lost functions of the stomach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of preserving the duodenal passage in subsequent improvement of body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) in patients with gastric cancer after total gastrectomy. Methods. A total of 30 patients with gastric cancer were prospectively randomly divided into a group of reconstruction with double-tract (n = 15) and a group of reconstruction with simple Roux-en-Y after total gastrectomy. They were stratified by sex, age, their anthropometric measurements (BW, BMI), primary tumor localization, Lauren’s classification, TNM stage classification, length of hospital stay, operation duration, postoperative complications, and mortality. Postoperatively, BW and BMI were measured at three, six, and 12 months and compared between the two groups. Results. The clinical group of double-tract patients had significantly higher the values of BW in the postoperative period after six (66.6 ± 4.9 vs. 61.7 ± 7.6; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) and after 12 months (67.0 ± 4.9 vs. 62.3 ± 7.2; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) compared to the group of Roux-en-Y patients. On the other hand, the clinical group of double-tract patients also had significantly higher the values of BMI in postoperative period after 12 months (23.6 ± 1.1 vs. 22.5 ± 1.6; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) in relation to the Roux-en-Y group of patients. Conclusion. Reconstruction procedure carried out after total gastrectomy which implies preserving the duodenal passage has significant increase of BW and BMI, compared to reconstruction procedure without the preservation of the duodenal passage.