The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 11 COVID patients today, 13 Wednesday. Other significant numbers:
• 5 with the active virus today, 3 Wednesday
• 0 in ICU, 0 Wednesday
• 0 on a ventilator, 0 Wednesday
Key points from today’s guests:
Morning Rounds – Spotlight on Current News
Doug Norsby, senior environmental planner, Mid-America Regional Council
- Twice already this week the air quality in Kansas City has reached hazardous levels and the recent wildfires in Canada are not to blame.
- There's been a high-pressure area that has developed, so it's created a perfect conditions for a lot of ground level ozone to develop.
- This is formed when you have a lot of sunlight, like we get under these high pressure areas, and it reacts with the chemicals in the air.
- The poor air quality can affect sensitive groups. If you are pregnant, if you have young children, or have breathing-associated diseases, then it can be more concerning as it can start an asthma attack or cause COPD issues.
- To best protect yourselves, try to get errands outside done before 10 a.m., or wait until after 7 p.m. Again, it takes sunlight to create the ozone so if you get out early in the morning before pollution has a chance to build up, the ozone levels are lower. They usually start to get higher at 11 a.m. and then they grow from there until sunset.
- AirQKC.org or AirNow.gov are two great resources to check out.
Focus Topic
Stan Bruce, focused ultrasound patient
- At 80 years old, Stan could no longer go fishing because of tremors in the hand.
- He sought several medical opinions but was misdiagnosed and no one was able to help.
- Frustrated, his daughter took to the internet and learned about essential tremor and doctors at the University of Kansas Health System who were using targeted ultrasound to treat the tremors and stop the shakes.
- Stan got the procedure done and it has stopped the tremors.
Allen Bruce, focused ultrasound patient
- Stan’s son, 59-year-old Alan, had the same issue with tremors.
- In fact, it shortened his career in law enforcement because he could no longer write or handle a gun due to the hand tremors.
- He saw the impact the focused ultrasound treatment had on his father and had the procedure done as well.
- Today, the tremors are gone and he is able to live a normal life.
Dr. Jennifer Cheng, neurosurgeon, The University of Kansas Health System
- Focused ultrasound is a newer procedure as it’s been around for less than 10 years.
- Some physicians may have heard of deep brain stimulation which has been used for decades, but the focused ultrasound is not currently widely used.
- More and more hospitals are gaining this procedure because so many people are interested in it.
- We use an MRI of the brain to formulate where the target should be. And then each time we are providing ultrasound energy into the brain, we are heating the brain in short bursts.
- We monitor using the MRI scanner at the same time so that we can see in real time what the brain temperature is.
- The entire procedure is about two and a half to three hours.
- Patients who struggle to write and able to have steady hands and write clearly after this procedure. They are able to do the things they could not do before.
Carlene Kirkwood, focused ultrasound patient
- As an artist, she was unable to paint when she had the tremors, but after this procedure, she has been able to get back to the things she loves to do.
- She had some normal side effects of balance problems after the procedure, but that went away and she is thrilled that she got the procedure done and that it was so successful.
- She credits the medical staff for taking such good care of her.
Monday, June 26 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Migraine sufferers will soon have a new option. Meet the doctor who dedicated his whole career to making a new nasal spray drug a reality.
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