The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 9 COVID patients today, 8 Wednesday. Other significant numbers:
- 2 with the active virus today, 4 Wednesday
- 0 in ICU, 0 Wednesday
- 0 on a ventilator, 0 Wednesday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Kat Adams, received spinal cord stimulator; resident, The University of Kansas Health System
- When Kat was in high school, she was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease which caused chronic pain in her back.
- Her doctor thought she was a good candidate for spinal cord stimulation, which includes an implant in the spinal cord to reduce pain.
- She was a little hesitant about getting something permanent implanted at such a young age, but said it was definitely worth the leap since there was a very low risk with the clinical trial, knowing she could eventually have it removed if ultimately she decided she didn't want it.
- Kat has experienced great relief since receiving the implant.
- She was so inspired by the process that she went to medical school, just completed it, and now works with doctor who treated her.
- Chronic back pain does not only affect older people. This happened to Kat starting at 14 and it could have been caused by a combination of genetics and high-impact activities like cheerleading and gymnastics.
Dr. Usman Latif, pain medicine specialist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Minimally invasive surgery includes two minor incisions to place two leads onto the spinal cord, which results in 16 different points of contact.
- The situations this procedure can be used for has been expanded.
- Some studies have shown that if this procedure can be done within the first two years of pain, it can have greater outcomes.
- Pain can be so invasive, so this provides much needed relief for patients.
- It's an evolving field and it just keeps advancing -- in the last few years it has just been moving at lightspeed.
- The first step for patients with back pain is to explore your options.
Katie Fry, A.R.N.P., advanced registered nurse practitioner, The University of Kansas Health System
- We aim for 50 percent reduction in pain and increased functionality.
- This is emblematic of the field of interventional pain. We're dealing everyday with patients who are really suffering and it's impacting their lives and has impacted their life and they can't do things.
- Often we're able to find solutions that can transform those lives and help them regain their quality of life and move forward.
- Katie is really proud to be part of our particular group of nine physicians now in the group that are practicing at the forefront of all the innovative technologies that are coming out.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- The CDC says by the end of 2022, 77 percent of Americans had COVID antibodies from prior infections, which means three out of four of us have been infected with COVID -- some more than once.
- The CDC was basically looking at and following about 143,000 blood donors when they started this testing in January of 2022.
- What they found was around April when they looked, it was about 55 percent of people had infection-induced antibodies, but by December it was 77 percent.
- So a large proportion of Americans did have actual evidence that they had COVID infection, which is really interesting.
Monday, July 10 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Mutant genes make some people almost destined to get cancer. Learn more about the genetic side of cancer and what it means for family members of oncology patients.
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