Prof. dr Svetozar Nićin (1948-2016)

Professor Dr Svetozar Nićin one of the best cardothorocal surgeons and the corresponding member of the VANU deceised. He was employed at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina in Sremska Kamenica, Serbia. He was the Full-Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of University of Novi Sad, Serbia.

At the beginning his scientific interest was on screening of opiates in blood. He was the first in Yugoslavia when in 1989 he started determining the level of medicines in blood using the method of spectrophotoflurimetry. After gaining experience in surgical work, he started showing interest in achieving a decrease in post surgical heart attacks after operations of cardiac muscle revascularisation by introducing prostacyclin during the surgery and in early post surgical period, especially after procedures of endarterectomy. He proved that prostacyclin has influence on the protective characteristic of thrombocytes and causes a decrease in post surgical thrombosis of coronary artery. Later, his interest is focused on the improvement of the diagnostics and healing of acute thoracic aorta dissection. Inspired by his stay in America (Baylor College of Medicine, Prof. Joseph S. Coselli, Houston), he worked, together with his associates, on the implementation of the proximal aortic dissection into routine practice in the Clinic. His interest until the retirement included the implementation of hybrid procedures in cardiovascular surgery into clinical practice.

He is the author/coauthor of 168 presentations at domestic conferences and 476 presentations on congresses abroad. He published as author or coauthor about 20 papers.

He was awarded three times for his professional and scientific work: with Silver medal of the Yugoslav Association of Cardiologists for his activities in the association in the period between 1998 and 2001, a Charter for his contributions for the development of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina 2002 and A letter of gratitude given by the Medical Association of Vojvodina, 2003.

Prof. Dr Nićin was the member of the Serbian Society for Cardiovascular Surgery and of the Serbian Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery. In September 1993 he was elected an active member of the European Chapter of the International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery while in November 1993 he was elected an active member of the International Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons.