Research in Croatia

Today we had the great opportunity to travel to the town of split in Croatia and visit one of the country's medical schools. Interestingly the medical school is starting a new curriculum that will be completely in English throughout all of the classes. This may present a very interesting opportunity for us to partner with our Croatian colleagues and share our training of medical professionals. In addition to the medical school there is also a nursing school radiology technology school and other allied health professions.

One of the most exciting things we learned on our visit to the medical school was that a main area of research focus is cardiac arrest resuscitation. This is our main area of research interest as well! Dr. Ivica Grokovic, Professor and head of the dept of anatomy is studying post conditioning in a myocardial infarction model in rats. Their model is very innovative and unlike any that we are currently using in the US. After inducing anesthesia they gain access to the heart from below by by opening the abdomen and incising the diaphragm. Dr. Grokovic then places a suture across the left anterior descending coronary artery inducing the heart attack. One of the unique aspects of this approach is that they are able to directly visualize the heart as it develops ischemia.

The specific aspect of ischemic post conditioning which they are studying is the use of isoflurane anesthesia as a myocardial protectant. This is a topic which has recently been gaining attention with the Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium right here at home! It was very exciting for us to learn that half a world away researchers are developing techniques and studying methods of saving patients which we too are focused on right here in Minnesota!