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Introduction/Objective. Recently published studies have addressed the significant impairment of healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD). To the best of our knowledge, none of the previously published studies have compared the impact of GERD and FD on HRQoL. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of GERD and FD on HRQoL. Methods. The current sample was extrapolated from a large cross-sectional population-based study conducted in primary health care facilities. Primary care physicians and general internists diagnosed GERD according to the Montreal definition for population-based studies. Also, primary care physicians and general internists diagnosed FD based on the Rome III criteria. The Serbian version of the generic self-administered Center for Disease Control and Prevention questionnaire was used. We used the propensity score method to match GERD and FD samples on variables such as age, gender, education, and adherence to therapy. Results. Regarding self-rated health, similar results were obtained from both groups. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention HRQoL questionnaire version 4 further revealed that functional dyspepsia led to greater disturbances of every-day functioning in regard to the criteria of physically healthy, mentally healthy, and activity limitation days. Conclusion. The results of the study have shown significant impairment of HRQoL in both groups, but, surprisingly, patients with FD experienced more limitations to their every-day functioning compared to patients with GERD.

Background/Aim. Gastric contraction modulation (GCM) with the implanted DIAMOND device improves glycemic control and decreases weight. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the early efficacy of GCM using the DIAMOND (previously named TANTALUS) System in the improvement of glycemic control measured by changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The effects of GCM on weight loss, body mass index (BMI), reduction of the waist circumference and metabolic parameters other than HbA1c were also evaluated. Methods. A total of 18 adult patients with type 2 diabetes were surgically treated at the Department for Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery, Clinic for Digestive Surgery in Belgrade, Serbia, using gastric pacemaker (DIAMOND System) from November 2014 to March 2016. Out of the total number of patients, 11 finished week 16 visit and were enroled in this prospective cohort study. Results. During the observed period, the average weight loss amounted to 8.05 kg (p < 0.05). The average difference between the baseline fasting glucose level and the level after 16 weeks period is 2.56 mmol/L. Similar findings were noted in fasting insulin levels, with an average decrease of 6.44 m/U/L after 16 weeks. The majority of patients experienced a decrease in HbA1c value: in 4 patients higher than 2%, and in 4 patients up to 2% (p < 0.05). Lower level of fasting insulin with simultaneous decrease in fasting glucose indicates improvement in insulin sensitivity on week 16 [homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA IR) average 5.25]. Conclusion. Gastric stimulation using the DIAMOND System for 16 weeks causes significant early improvement in glycemic control and insulin resistance. There is an additional positive effect on weight loss, body mass index (BMI) and reduction of the waist circumference as a main parameter of the metabolic syndrome.

Background/Aim. Recent population based studies have proved that patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) have a significantly impaired health-related quality of life HRQoL as compared to general population. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of FD on (HRQoL) in patients treated in primary healthcare settings in Serbia. Methods. The study involved 1,448 patients with FD. The diagnosis was made by a general practice physician or gastroenterologist using the Rome III diagnostic criteria. The Serbian version of the questionnaire for the assessment of HRQoL of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HRQoL-4 item CDC) was used for data collection, while descriptive statistical measurements were applied to calculate standard deviation, frequency as well as multiple logistic regression model. Results. Out of the total number of patients, 41.8% assessed their health condition as seriously disordered or poor. The mean values of health disorder duration over the last 30 days was 11.8 days, disordered physical health 7.2 days, mental disorder 6.3 days, and activity limitation 5.1 days. Also, 29.7%, 15.2%, 12.8% and 10.7% of the patients reported ≥ 14 unhealthy days, ≥ 14 physically unhealthy days, ≥ 14 mentally unhealthy days and ≥ 14 activity limitation days, respectively. Conclusion. From patients’ perspective, FD has a significant impact on HRQoL. In this study, 41.8% of the patients described their health status as fair or poor, and FD significantly affects all aspects of life, both mental and physical. The recognition of that impact is probably the most important step towards appropriate treatment and decreasing HRQoL impairment in patients with FD.

Introduction. Recent data from the studies conducted in the Western countries have proved that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease have significantly impaired health-related quality of life compared to general population. Objective. The study is aimed at evaluating the burden of reflux symptoms on patients’ health-related quality of life. Methods. The study involved 1,593 patients with diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease. The Serbian version of a generic self-administered Centers for Disease Control and Prevention questionnaire was used. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test and a multiple regression model. Results. Among all participants, 43.9% reported fair or poor health. Mean value of unhealthy days during the past 30 days was 10.4 days, physically unhealthy days 6.4 days, mentally unhealthy days 5.3 days and activity limitation days 4.3 days. Furthermore, 24.8% participants reported having ≥14 unhealthy days, 14.9% had ≥14 physically unhealthy days, 11.8% reported ≥14 mentally unhealthy days, and 9.4% had ≥14 activity limitation days. Conclusion. This study addressed complex relationships between reflux symptoms and patients’ impaired everyday lives.

Introduction. At the Department of Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery of the Hospital for Digestive Surgery in Belgrade, hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy (hMIE) has been a standard of care for patients with resectable esophageal cancer since 2009. As a next and final step in the change management, from January 2015 we utilized total minimally invasive esophagectomy (tMIE) as a standard of care. Objective. The aim of the study was to report initial experiences in hMIE (laparoscopic approach) for cancer and analyze surgical technique, major morbidity and 30-day mortality. Methods. A retrospective cohort study included 44 patients who underwent elective hMIE for esophageal cancer at the Department for Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery, Hospital for Digestive Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade from April 2009 to December 2014. Results. There were 16 (36%) middle thoracic esophagus tumors and 28 (64%) tumors of distal thoracic esophagus. Mean duration of the operation was 319 minutes (approximately five hours and 20 minutes). The average blood loss was 173.6 ml. A total of 12 (27%) of patients had postoperative complications and mean intensive care unit stay was 2.8 days. Mean hospital stay after surgery was 16 days. The average number of harvested lymph nodes during surgery was 31.9. The overall 30-day mortality rate within 30 days after surgery was 2%. Conclusion. As long as MIE is an oncological equivalent to open esophagectomy (OE), better relation between cost savings and potentially increased effectiveness will make MIE the preferred approach in high-volume esophageal centers that are experienced in minimally invasive procedures.

Introduction. Repair of hiatal hernias has been performed traditionally via open laparotomy or thoracotomy. Since first laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair in 1992, this method had a growing popularity and today it is the standard approach in experienced centers specialized for minimally invasive surgery. Objective. In the current study we present our experience after 200 consecutive laparoscopic hiatal hernia repairs. Methods. A retrospective cohort study included 200 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair at the Department for Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery, Clinic for Digestive Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade from April 2004 to December 2013. Results. Hiatal hernia types included 108 (54%) patients with type I, 30 (15%) with type III, 62 (31%) with giant paraesophageal hernia, while 27 (13.5%) patients presented with a chronic gastric volvulus. There were a total of 154 (77%) Nissen fundoplications. In 26 (13%) cases Nissen procedure was combined with esophageal lengthening procedure (Collis-Nissen), and in 17 (8.5%) Toupet fundoplications was performed. Primary retroesophageal crural repair was performed in 164 (82%) cases, Cleveland Clinic Foundation suture modification in 27 (13.5%), 4 (2%) patients underwent synthetic mesh hiatoplasty, 1 (0.5%) primary repair reinforced with pledgets, and 4 (2%) autologous fascia lata graft reinforcement. Poor result with anatomic and symptomatic recurrence (indication for revisional surgery) was detected in 5 patients (2.7%). Conclusion. Based on the result analysis, we found that laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair was a technically challenging but feasible technique, associated with good to excellent postoperative outcomes comparable to the best open surgery series.

Introduction. Laparoscopic Heller­Dor operation, a standard method in the treatment of achalasia, has been performed at the Center for Esophageal Surgery of the First Surgical Clinic since April 2006. Objective. The aim of this study was to present this surgical procedure and initial experiences after 36 consecutive laparoscopic Heller­Dor operations. Methods. This partly retrospective, partly prospective study presented our results after laparoscopic Heller­Dor operation (presentation of the treatment method). We performed a standard anterior esophagocardioymiotomy, without releasing the posterior aspect of the cardia, and anterior partial fundoplication. The type and severity of symptoms and their duration were evaluated based on questionnaires fulfilled by patients. The diagnosis was made based on radiological, endoscopic and manometric findings. Laparoscopic surgery as the method of treatment was evaluated based on the duration of surgery, intra­ and postoperative complications, time interval until the initiation of oral feeding, length of hospital stay, need for additional therapeutic measures after the operation and effect of surgery on the severity of symptoms. Results. Preopereratively, dysphagia was the predominant symptom in all patients, while regurgitation was much lower (44%). The average duration of operation was 127 minutes. Postoperative hospitalization lasted on the average 5.7 days. From 36 treated patients, 34 (94.4%) considered that the effect of treatment was good or excellent. Postoperative dysphagia was present in two patients (5.6%) and was successfully solved by balloon dilatation. Conclusion. Laparoscopic Heller­Dor operation is an effective and safe surgical procedure in resolving symptoms of achalasia and today presents the method of the first choice in the treatment of this disease.

Background: RefluxStop™ is an implantable, non-active, single use device used in the laparoscopic treatment of GERD. RefluxStop™ aims to block the movement of the LES up into the thorax and keep the angle of His in its original, anatomically correct position. This new device restores normal anatomy, leaving the food passageway unaffected.Methods: In a prospective, single arm, multicentric clinical investigation analyzing safety and effectiveness of the RefluxStop™ device to treat GERD, 50 subjects with chronic GERD were operated using a standardized surgical technique between December 2016 and September 2017. They were followed up for 1 year (CE-mark investigation 6-months). Primary safety outcome was prevalence of serious adverse events related to the device, and primary effectiveness outcome reduction of GERD symptoms based on GERD-HRQL score. Secondary outcomes were prevalence of adverse events other than serious adverse events, reduction of total acid exposure time in 24-h pH monitoring, and reduction in average daily PPI usage and subject satisfaction.Results: There were no serious adverse events related to the device. Average GERD-HRQL total score at 1 year improved 86% from baseline (p < 0.001). 24-h pH monitoring compared to baseline showed a mean reduction percentage of overall time with pH < 4 from 16.35 to 0.80% at the 6-month visit (p < 0.001), with 98% of subjects showing normal 24-h pH. At 1 year: No new cases of dysphagia were recorded, present in 2 subjects, which existed already at baseline. Regular daily PPI usage occurred in all 50 subjects at baseline. At 1-year follow-up, only 1 subject took regular daily PPIs due to a too low placement of the device thereby prohibiting its function. None or minimal occasional episodes of regurgitation occurred in 97.8% of evaluable subjects. Gas bloating disappeared in 30 subjects and improved in 7 subjects.Conclusion: The new principle of RefluxStop™ is safe and effective to treat GERD according to investigation results. At 1-year follow-up, both the GERD-HRQL score and 24-h pH monitoring results indicate success for the new treatment principle. In addition, with the dynamic treatment for acid reflux, which avoids compressing the food passageway, prevalence of dysphagia and gas bloating are significantly reduced.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02759094 . Registered 3 May, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of biostimulant and substrate volume on scarlet sage transplants growth and development was examined in this investigation. There was one cultivar of scarlet sage used in trial which was transplanted in pots of two different volumes. Plants were treated with biostimulant (Radifarm) in concentration of 0.25% or left untreated (control). During the trial, root and aboveground fresh and dry mass were recorded. Treatment with biostimulant and bigger substrate volume showed good results by increasing investigated parameters. Investigation shows how biostimulant application to scarlet sage transplants production improves growth and development of root and aboveground mass which is important for faster plant adaptation to stress during transplanting.

Abstract Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor has been defined as a histologically distinctive lesion with uncertain behaviour. The term inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor more commonly referred to as “pseudostumor ”, denotes a pseudosarcomatous inflammatory lesion that contains spindle cells, myofibroblasts, plasma cells, lymphocytes and histiocytes. It exhibits a variable biological behavior that ranges from frequently benign lesions to more aggressive variants. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor mostly occurs in the soft tissue of children and young adults, and the lungs are the most commonly affected site, but it has been recognized that any anatomic localization can be involved. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in adults are very rare, especially in the stomach. We present a case of a 43-year old woman with primary inflammatory myofibiroblastic tumor in the stomach and a review of the literature.