The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 38 COVID patients today, 38 Monday. Other significant numbers:
- 26 with the active virus today, 26 Monday
- 1 in ICU, 1 Monday
- 1 on a ventilator, 1 Monday
- 12 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 12 Monday
Key points from today’s guests:
Tracy Mason Solis, patient
- Pelvic floor therapist referred her to Dr. Kowalik because of urination issues and she was suggested a new treatment called a BIOS stimulator.
- It’s a key fob-like device that is surgically implanted near the sacral nerve to help control bladder function.
- With the device, she is able to have a normal functioning life again.
- She can adjust the neuromodulator whenever she has an urge to suddenly urinate.
- She felt so grateful and comfortable to be able to leave the house and not worry about bringing extra clothes due to her urinary issue.
Dr. Casey Kowalik, urologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- We usually go through an algorithm with bladder disorder patients, so I often will encourage people to do pelvic floor physical therapy or provide some medication options.
- For a lot of men and women, pelvic floor physical therapy can really improve their symptoms and improve the quality of life. It can be something as simple as sort of doing the exercises at home and there are great resources on the American Urologic Association website about how to do these exercises.
- In Tracy's case, pelvic floor physical therapy and medications were not quite enough for her to get to the quality of life that she was looking for.
- Neuromodulation as a technique that it can help women and men with overactive bladder, and it helped Tracy with controlling the symptoms and improving her lifestyle activities.
- Aging is a risk factor for having worsening bladder symptoms, along with pregnancy and a genetic component.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- Overall, the trend continues to increase as far as the total number of RSV cases per week.
- For influenza, the number of tests has increased, but so have a number of cases.
- Those viruses are out there circulating in the community and if you think you have symptoms, it's very important to go get tested early.
- If you have influenza, get on treatment early. For RSV, there is no treatment other than supportive care at this point.
- You need to watch especially those older populations, and those very young populations when they do have RSV.
- We also have to make sure we are using antibiotics judiciously and use them when we need them. Amoxicillin will not help or treat those viral illnesses, so it's important practice and good antibiotic stewardship or to the antibiotics when they're needed, especially when there are shortages.
Wednesday, November 9 at 9:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. While lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., it receives the least research funding. Dr. Stites will explain and share why 50 organizations are coming together to address this. And we’ll show how a study focusing on millennials may change the course of lung cancer treatment.
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