The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 42 COVID patients today, up from 38 yesterday. Other significant numbers:

24 with the active virus today, 23 yesterday
3 in ICU, 2 yesterday
1 on a ventilator, 1 yesterday
18 hospitalized, but out of acute infection phase, 15 yesterday

Key points from today’s guests:

Dr. Dhaval Bhavsar, medical director, Burnett Burn Center, The University of Kansas Health System
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is most commonly used for treatment of diabetic foot wounds, deep sea dive-related sickness, certain injections, and radiation injuries. In very rare instances, such as with comedian Jay Leno, it can be used to treat certain burn patients.
One of the most common uses of hyperbaric oxygen treatment at the Burn Center is for carbon monoxide poisoning.
We also commonly see burns from space heaters, kitchen accidents and fireplaces/campfires.


Dr. Steven Orr, emergency and hyperbaric medicine, The University of Kansas Health System
Patients in hyperbaric therapy are breathing 100% oxygen under pressure, so the oxygen levels in the body get very high.
The increased oxygen levels help create new blood vessels in the areas where blood flow is compromised.
With carbon monoxide poisoning, hyperbaric therapy can clear the carbon monoxide from the bloodstream in about 5-8 minutes, whereas a normal time to clear that out would be well over an hour.
The time of year we see most carbon monoxide poisonings is during the transition from fall to winter when furnaces first fire up and may be faulty, releasing carbon dioxide. It also happens during power outages when people use gas generators indoors.
Also be careful with space heaters, especially for people with neuropathy or altered blood supply – those people have a higher chance of having burn injuries because of a loss of skin sensation.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection control and prevention, The University of Kansas Health System
In response to studies showing that COVID vaccines affected some menstrual cycles, there was evidence of either heavier bleeding or bleeding at the non-normal times, but otherwise, it was really not significant as far as impacting the health of that person.
As the California Health Department is recommending people who are at high risk of sexually transmitted infection take a preventative dose of antibiotics, it comes with concerns about increasing antibiotics resistance.
Wednesday, November 30 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. Learn more about an active woman who has something in common with rock icon Peter Frampton. They both suffer from a muscle wasting disease that threatens hips and fingers first.

Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.