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The aim of the paper is the presentation of the treatment of aneurysms of the extracranial carotid artery and review of literature. Aneurysms of extracranial carotid arteries (common carotid artery, external carotid artery and cervical part of the internal carotid artery) are very rate [1, 2]. In 1979 McCollum from the Baylor University (Houston, Texas) reported 37 cases over a 21-year period [3]. ⋯ However, true extracranial carotid artery aneurysms can be developed due to: infection of the arterial wall (mycotic forms) [26-37]; nonspecific [23] or irradiation arteritis [38], fibromuscular dysplasia [4, 8, 15, 16, 39]. The most frequent types of false extracranial carotid artery aneurysms are traumatic pseudoaneurysms [32, 50-54] and anastomotic pseudoaneurysms [53, 59, 60]. There are also dissecting extracranial carotid artery aneurysms developed after isolated spontaneous d
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Cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) takes only 3% of all malignant tumours of the skin, but for reason of its increased frequency and pronounced tendency to rapid growth and metastases, it causes 60% of total lethal outcomes due to malignant tumours of the skin [1]. Primary MM is a diagnostic problem because of the great variety of its clinical features. Asymmetric configuration, irregular border, speckled color(r)diameter of more than 6 mm, and elevation of the surface, suggest suspicion of malignant alteration, but even then misdiagnosis is possible. For the final diagnosis of MM histopathological confirmation is necessary. The method to use is the extensive excisional biopsy of the lesion and its borders [2]. Histopathological diagnosis is based on microscopic findings which include: histogenetic type of MM, tumour thickness according to Breslow, level of invasion according to Clark, presence of ulceration, grade of lymphocyte infiltration, mitote rate, type of cells, presence of melanin in cells [2, 3]. ⋯ Statistically highly significant differences in a five-year survival (p < 0.01) were related to sex p = 0.0005, age p = 0.0017, tumour site p = 0.0025, initial therapy p = 0.0036, stage of MM p = 0.0000, histological features of the tumour p = 0.0000 and presence of metastases p = 0.0000. A better five-year survival prognosis was found in female patients (64.5%) compared to male patients 44.5%, aged 27-46 years (87.3%) compared to patients younger than 26 years (43.5%); patients with melanoma on the extremities (except hands and feet) had a better five-year survival (66.7%) compared to patients younger than 26 years (43.5%); patients with melanoma on the extremities (except hands and feet) had a better five-year survival (65.7%) compared to patients with melanoma on the trunk or acral melanoma (47.3%). Higher survival was recorded in the group of patients with the tumour 1.5-3 mm thick, in whom the tumours was excised and regional nodes dissected as the primary therapy (66.9%) compared to those who underwent excision of the tumor only (48.8%). A five-year survival of patients with MM in situ was 100% for those in stage I; 85% in stage II; 42% in stage III, 16% and 0% in stage IV. The patients in whom the diagnosis of MM was established within 10 months after the first signs of the disease had significa