Kansas City, Kan- Jody Roberts, who struggled with breathing and swallowing issues for decades, finally found relief at the University of Kansas Health System. Her condition was misdiagnosed as asthma, but it was actually an aneurysm on her aortic arch compressing her esophagus and trachea.
In 2024, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Todd Crawford successfully performed a complex surgery to correct this.
Meanwhile, Dr. Shawn Sood's team introduced a new nasal spray for pediatric sedation, reducing the need for needles in children undergoing procedures like CT scans and MRIs
Jody Roberts, patient
- Jody's symptoms included difficulty swallowing, trouble breathing, and a misdiagnosis of asthma, which was later found to be caused by the aneurysm.
- She underwent a second surgery in December 2024 to correct an aneurysm that had not been repaired during her first surgery in 2020.
Dr. Todd Crawford, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, The University of Kansas Health System
- Dr. Todd Crawford, the cardiothoracic surgeon who performed the surgery, describes Jody's unique anatomical condition and the complications it caused.
- He explains the surgical approach used to repair the aneurysm, including a creative solution to avoid working through scar tissue from the previous surgery.
- The surgery involved cooling the patient down, opening the aorta, and cutting out the diverticulum that was compressing the esophagus.
Morning Rounds – Update on Current News
Dr. Shawn Sood, pediatric critical care physician, The University of Kansas Health System
- Dr. Shawn Sood discusses the use of nasal spray for sedating pediatric patients instead of needles, making procedures like CT scans less stressful for children.
- He explains that the nasal spray, called Precedex, (dexmedetomidine) was approved for pediatric sedation in the last four years and is a safer alternative to opioids.
