Key points from today’s guests:
Morning Rounds – Update on the Latest News
Dr. Shane Stecklein, M.D., Ph. D., radiation oncologist & radiobiologist, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
- The University of Kansas Medical Center is partnering with IBA, the company that makes the proton machine, on something called flash radiation.
- With flash radiation, it all comes down to time. Conventional radiation treatments are typically given once daily over several weeks, and each day's radiation treatment is delivered over a couple of minutes.
- With flash radiation, the goal is to use much higher doses of radiation, usually and fewer or even a single treatment, and the entire dose is delivered in very intense bursts that lasts a fraction of a second.
- We still have a lot to learn about the biology of flash radiation, but extensive preclinical data suggests that we can still effectively treat tumors and it may dramatically limit toxicity to normal tissues.
- If we can deliver more precise treatment, we think that's a benefit to our patients.
- IBA supports our clinical proton therapy program, but we've also partnered with them for this research collaboration focused on developing something called conformal FlashPro proton therapy.
- As an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are committed to following and furthering the science for patients.
Focus Topic
Dr. Julia Slater, burn surgeon, plastic surgeon, incoming medical director, Burnett Burn Center, The University of Kansas Health System
- The National Fire Protection Association found that from 2017 to 2021, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 150 Christmas tree fires every year. Other decorations beside trees like candles or electric lights cause an additional 790 fires annually. And when it comes to cooking, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are the second and third most common days for a kitchen fire. That's right behind Thanksgiving.
- Keep candles stable and at least a foot away from other objects. Keep Christmas trees watered and away from heat sources. Check wiring on the lights to monitor for any frayed areas.
- Be careful around fire pits and outdoor heaters. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that in 2021, there were more than 6,000 emergency department visits due to fire pits or outdoor heaters.
- Each season kind of brings a different type of burn injury. So maybe in the fall we'll see more bonfires, maybe now in the holidays, we'll see cooking injuries and then in January/February we might see frostbite.
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the home as well as working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Consider fire ladders for two-story homes.
Katherine Golson, R.N., Burnett Burn Center, The University of Kansas Health System
- If burned, we definitely want them to stop that burning process. So run cool water over the burn. If your clothes get stuck on we don't want them to rip those off or open any blisters. Just run it under cool water.
- Definitely do not apply ice and then we want them to apply a clean, dry dressing which could be a dry sheet or dry gauze.
- The ice can definitely restrict the blood flow to the burn area. We want really good blood flow to make sure that wound will heal eventually, but instead when ice restricts the blood flow it can actually make your burn worse.
- We don't want you to apply butter or ointments or sprays or anything like that.
- If someone has a burn that's about the size of their palm, you probably need to seek medical care.
COVID Updates
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- The COVID inpatient count is 26 this week, a decrease from 33 last week.
- The website www.vaccines.org is place where you can find where vaccines are available. There is an adult but also a pediatric area where you can look for just pediatrics vaccines.
- Checking the site, it seems that pediatric COVID vaccines are available more at commercial pharmacies instead of private pediatrician offices.
- If you do want to get your child vaccinated. It is very helpful to understand where you can find those vaccines.
Wednesday, December 20 at 8 a.m. is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. The best health care is tailored to the individual. Learn more about how you can be part of a research database that will shape the future of medicine.
ATTENTION MEDIA: Please note access is with Microsoft Teams:
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 235 659 792 451
Passcode: 6CSfGE
Download Teams | Join on the web
Or call in (audio only)
+1 913-318-8863,566341546# United States, Kansas City
TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI
Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital
YouTube.com/kuhospital
Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.