ON THE OCCASION OF THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE THE FIRST-EVER CROATIAN DIALYSIS PERFORMED IN RIJEKA IN 1962

Abstract

The first section of this review summarises the development of dialysis in Europe since its first successes in the early 20th century, reminding the reader, however, that it took fifty years to achieve clinical success. The first successful dialysis in the former Yugoslavia was performed in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 1959. The review continues with the chronicles, documents, and quotations describing the preparations started in Rijeka in 1961 to set up dialysis in Croatia. On 17 June 1962 the first successful procedure was performed. At the time, Europe counted no more than 44 dialysis centres. The Rijeka team included four physicians and one pharmacist. The dialysis practice and results over the first decade were published in seven articles and reviews. Furthermore, the Sušak Hospital of Rijeka became the reference centre for the former Yugoslavia, educating new people for new dialysis centres all over the country. This well-organised dialysis team later provided sound foundation for kidney transplants; the first procedure was performed in the same hospital in 1971.