Medical Word

Editor’s note

Ana Momčilović — 2024-10-03

Dear colleagues,

The latest, quite interesting and meaningful issue of the journal “Medical Word” is in front of you, with various topics, providing readers with the opportunity to improve and upgrade special professional knowledge, but also to compare it with their own experiences and work results.

At the beginning of this issue of the journal, a group of authors from the Republic of North Macedonia presented the results and analysis of a survey on oral health that was conducted among primary healthcare workers in North Macedonia, as well as students of dentistry and medicine. The role of essential oils in the fight against infections of the respiratory system and their antimicrobial effect was presented by a group of authors who dealt with this problem from different aspects, showing the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in the treatment of pediatric patients. The problem of abuse and neglect of children, as well as the resulting injuries, is increasing, so the authors of a paper have just presented the results of the treatment of abused children, with a special emphasis on prevention measures and on everything that we as a society can do to prevent violence against children. In this issue of the journal, a comprehensive and illustrative X-ray presentation of craniosynostosis, as well as a presentation of a case of hydrocephalus in practice, is also given. In the end, as always, there is a documented and thorough work from the history of medicine.

Therefore, continuing our established conception of the journal, and following our broad thematic orientation, we present six new papers, which are available to readers in open access, as before. And this time, we invite our respected colleagues to send their papers to our journal. We are impatiently waiting for your papers.

Editor-in-Chief

Prim. Ana Momčilović, MD, PhD,

Professor of vocational studies

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Perinatal and Infant Oral Health among Healthcare Workers and Students of Medicine and Dentistry

Aneta Lazarova — 2024-10-03

A shared approach, coordination, and care for oral health as an integral part of general health should be imperative for every primary healthcare worker. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding perinatal and infantile oral health in different groups of health professionals in North Macedonia.

The survey was conducted from January 2020 to January 2021 with the distribution of an anonymous survey questionnaire electronically in the form of a Google Document to a different profile of healthcare professionals from primary healthcare in North Macedonia, as well as students of dentistry and medicine. The questions examined early childhood caries knowledge, attitudes about their role in preventing childhood oral health, and practices for promoting good oral health.

It was determined that 85.7 percent of doctors believed they need additional oral health education, 93.9 percent of respondents believed that they must educate parents/guardians about the importance of the preventive measures to maintain children’s oral health and that they must advise parents in case of suspected caries to visit a dentist/pedodontist. Only 46.9% of respondents knew that cariogenic bacteria can be transmitted vertically from mother to newborn. A small percentage (26.5%) of respondents knew that white spots on baby teeth are early signs of caries.

A Guide to Perinatal and Infant’s Oral Health for all health professionals who are in contact with a child in the first years of life would help to properly guide and educate parents in preserving infants` oral health.

Antibacterial Acitivity of Esssential Oils of Selected Medicinal Plants on the Causative Agents of Respiratory Infections in Pediatric Population

Svetlana Bogdanović — 2024-10-03

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the most common infectious diseases today and are the reason for as many as 75% of prescribed antibiotics in the world. For this reason, ARI is responsible for the emergence of bacterial resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics.

The paper aimed to examine the potential antibacterial activities of the essential oil of medicinal plants Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Mentha spicata L., Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raushert, Salvia officinalis L., Urtica dioica L., from the region of southeastern Serbia, on bacteria associated with respiratory infections in the pediatric population.

Relevant, dichotomous keys were used to determine the plant material. The extraction of the essential oil was performed with a Clevenger-type apparatus, while the antibacterial activity was examined with an aromatogram, using the disk-diffusion method. Statistical analysis was performed with a one-factor ANOVA test.

The use of essential oils can be an alternative solution to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. In our research, the oil of Salvia officinalis L. showed the strongest inhibitory effect against Moraxella sp., while the oil of Chamomilla Recutita (L.) Raushert showed the weakest effect against Haemophilus sp. In general, the essential oil of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raushert showed the weakest effect against all isolated pathogens.

The essential oil of the investigated plants can be used as a potential source of natural antibacterial compounds. Because of all the above, it is necessary to further investigate and identify the biologically active compounds of the investigated plants.

Characteristics of Age and Gender Distribution of Abused and Neglected Children - National Strategy and Prevention Measures

Danijela Đerić — 2024-10-03

The problem of child abuse and neglect in the world is increasing, there is an increasing number of children with this problem and there is a need to define this problem as well as legal guidelines and guidelines to work more efficiently. Injuries in abused and neglected children are very diverse, rarely endangering the life of the child or leading to permanent disability, and must be hospitalized and surgically treated as emergencies.

The retrospective study included 79 patients treated at the Clinic for Pediatric Surgery Orthopaedics and Traumatology (KDHOT), University Clinical Center Niš.

The results show that there was no statistically significant distribution by gender. The average age of all hospitalized children in the examined period is 7.97 ± 6.67 years with a median of 7.00 years.

In the largest percentage of cases, abusers are peers or relatives. Although the public today more than ever is warned about various cases of violence against children, this is a problem that is solved in practice by a small number of experts and which is not given as much importance as necessary to solve this problem.

Craniostenosis - X-Ray Presentation

Rade R. Babić — 2024-10-03

Craniosynostosis are a congenital condition characterized by a deformed skull, caused by the premature fusion of one or more, and exceptionally all sutures. Crouzon’s and Apert’s syndromes are classified as craniosynostosis. Along with craniosynostosis, deformities can also occur on other bones of the skeleton.

The goal of the presentation is a revue and illustrative presentation of craniosynostosis.

The results of the work: oxycephalus, scaphocephalia, triginocephalia, plagiocephalia, dysostosis cranio-facialis (Crouson), acro-cephalo-syndactylis (Apert) are presented.

The authors conclude that radiological images of craniosynostosis have their own specificity, while radiological examination methods are relevant and irreplaceable in diagnosing craniosynostosis.

Hidrocefalus - Case Report

Mirjana Ćuprić — 2024-10-03

Hydrocephalus is a pathological condition with many variations which is always characterized by an increase in cerebrospinal fluid that is or has been under increased pressure, and it can occur at any age. It is displayed as different neurological and psychiatric conditions. The most important symptoms in adults are dizziness, cognitive decline, dementia, gait apraxia, and problems with bladder control.

This paper presents the case of an elderly person with hydrocephalus. A 74-year-old male patient contacted the doctor of the Healthcare Center because of dizziness, instability when walking or climbing stairs. There is also forgetfulness, poor concentration, and weaker urination control. Orientation neurological examination showed a wide-based gait, with positive Romberg’s sign with eyes closed. He was referred to a neurologist with a questionable diagnosis of vertigo syndrome R 42.0. After neurological and radiological examinations, the diagnosis of communicating, normotensive hydrocephalus was confirmed and the patient underwent neurosurgical intervention.

The therapeutic approach to this condition depends on age, clinical findings, and comorbidities and is determined individually for each patient. Surgery takes the main place in therapy because by installing a shunt, a rapid reduction of symptoms is achieved.

The role of the selected doctor is to implement all aspects of treatment and care based on anamnestic data, and clinical examination according to the diagnostic algorithm, to improve the functional status and quality of life of these patients and their families.

Professor Spira Strahinjić (1925 – 2022) – Pioneer of Serbian and Yugoslav Nephrology

Strahinja Babić — 2024-10-03

Professor Dr. Spira Strahinjić (August 30, 1925, village of Orane, Kingdom of Yugoslavia - January 25, 2022, Niš, Republic of Serbia) was and will remain a doyen and legend of Serbian and Yugoslav medicine and beyond, a pioneer of Serbian and Yugoslav nephrology, visionary and strategist of the development of nephrology in Niš, Serbia and Yugoslavia, creator and founder of the Institute for Nephrology and Hemodialysis of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Niš (which today bears his name), founder and initiator of the development of a large number of healthcare institutions for nephrology and hemodialysis in the south of Serbia, In Kosovo and Metohija and Montenegro, initiator of the first kidney transplant in the south of Serbia, one of the founders of BANTAO, patriot and revolutionary, participant of the National Liberation Movement (1941-1945), oriented and oriented towards the young man, the young doctor, always on the side of the students and student ideas of Niš , Serbia and Yugoslavia.