The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 53 COVID patients today, 54 Tuesday. Other significant numbers:

•  26 with the active virus today, 27 Tuesday
•  4 in ICU, 5 Tuesday
•  2 on a ventilator, 2 Tuesday

Key points from today’s guests:

Risa Kafka, cerebrospinal fluid leak patient

• Had a dramatic change in personality that included being aggressive with other people, including her husband and other family.
• For three years she said she had no emotions. Her husband was ready to file for divorce but ordered an MRI for Risa first to see if something was wrong with her brain.
• The MRI found that she had a cerebrospinal fluid leak that was causing these odd behaviors.
• She was treated with a new, less invasive method that accessed a vein in her leg to deliver a type of liquid sealer to her spinal veins.
• With hours, Risa’s personality changed back to her loving self.

Dr. Jennifer Cheng, neurosurgeon, The University of Kansas Health System

• Cerebrospinal fluid or CSF is a clear colorless fluid that is generated in the brain and then circulates around the brain in the spinal cord and is reabsorbed in the brain.
• It performs a lot of functions such as providing nutrients to the brain and removing waste, and it is cushioning for the brain by surrounding the brain and spinal cord to protect it from trauma.
• Leaks can be caused by trauma, genetic diseases, or just weak linings of the spinal cord.
• For Risa, this leak caused personality changes, which is pretty rare.
  
  

Dr. John Madarang, neuro interventional radiologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• One of the first to use a type of liquid embolism to inject in the body to block a vessel, artery, or vein.
• The point of this substance is to block the possible channels where the CSF can leak.
• This procedure is not common and many cases of CSF leaks may be underdiagnosed.
• Some cases have resulted in severe dementia.
• We're getting into a new era of finding these leaks and being able to treat them in a non-invasive or minimally invasive way.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, The University of Kansas Health System

• Bacterial resistance is a major issue, most importantly also for the primary care providers that are out there giving outpatient antibiotics to people with infections who really need those antibiotics, we are seeing more and more drug resistance pop up in those bacteria.
• There are several factors leading to increased resistance rates.
• Certainly, one of those factors is the widespread use of a lot of antibiotics.
• We really need to continue the research on antibiotic resistance profiles of many different bacteria.

Thursday, February 9 is the next Morning Medical Update. We need good sleep just like we need the air we breathe. Studies are linking sleep deprivation to some serious side effects and damage to our health. But what is good sleep? How much of it do we need each night? Our experts have the answers.

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