The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 49 COVID patients today, 51 Friday. Other significant numbers:

• 33 with the active virus today, 30 Friday
• 6 in ICU, 7 Friday
• 3 on a ventilator, 2 Friday

Key points from today’s guests:

Ashlyn Julian, infant aneurysm survivor

• In 2013, at just three weeks old, Ashlyn was having brain aneurysms.
• This is extremely rare in infants – there are only 17 known cases since 1949.
• Sterile, medical grade “superglue” was inserted into her blood vessel in a procedure that took less than 30 minutes.
• Today, 9-year-old Ashlyn is healthy and happy and can do anything any other kid can do.

Gina Julian, Ashlyn’s mother

• This situation was incredibly scary and stressful.
• When the story was covered globally, Gina had outreach from people all over the world.
• She is grateful to the doctors who helped Ashlyn that day.

Dr. Koji Ebersole, director of endovascular neurology, The University of Kansas Health System

• It was a dangerous procedure, but if it was not done, she may not have survived the brain bleed.
• Medical grade “superglue” is made to work inside blood vessels, but it hasn’t been designed on patients so small.
• It took collaboration with the pediatric ICU team. Ashlyn had another event before the procedure, which reinforced the need to do something quickly.
• What's amazing about modern technology is that these life-changing problems can be solved in minimally invasive ways.
• When Ashlyn is running around on the playground, you would never know that she had an event that put her life at risk.
  
  

Dr. Alan Reeves, director of interventional radiology, The University of Kansas Health System

• The team used very powerful x-rays and ultrasound to allow them to see the instruments and the blood vessels at the same time.
• You have to think three-dimensionally and spatially using instruments as small as a pencil lead and strand of human hair to maneuver to drop a sterile superglue through Ashlyn’s body to her brain.
• The instruments are designed to work inside blood vessels, but the operator needs to be careful because of the extremely small size of Ashlyn’s blood vessels.
• It's amazing to see her sitting here smiling and talking with us -- it feels like we're doing the right thing when we do this.
  
  

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, The University of Kansas Health System

• DNA data from Wuhan market points to an animal origin of COVID.
• It is hard to get accurate data that is not politically motivated as to the actual origin.
• For someone older who is vaccinated, but diagnosed with COVID, they should check with their doctor about getting on Paxlovid.
• Vaccines and antivirals are effective against the current strains of COVID.

Ryan Van Nice, ambulatory operations project manager, The University of Kansas Health System

• A new clinic is opening in south Overland Park on March 27, 2023.
• Over the last several months, the construction team has been working with contractors to build up the space and then dozens of other teams have been collaborating to make sure the clinic has everything that it needs.
• Services include primary care by the general internal medicine clinic, as well as specialty therapy, specialty occupational and physical therapy that provides pelvic health therapy and oncology lymphedema therapy.

Tuesday, March 21 is the next Morning Medical Update. Colorectal cancer rates are still climbing in people under 50, despite dropping for everyone else. One survivor describes what it took to overcome a stage 4 diagnosis when she was just 36. You’ll meet this woman and see how she is helping others fight that battle.

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