Kansas City, Kan- Key points from today’s guests:

Vickie Baylie, patient

• Vickie was having problems with her eyesight, so she saw an eye doctor.
• Her doctor detected life-threatening blockages during an eye exam and referred her to the emergency department.
• One week later, she underwent open heart surgery.
• After surgery, she noticed that she was able to use her right arm more. It did not get fatigued like it did before the surgery.
• After 53 years of smoking, she quit to help with her recovery. She said she is feeling stronger, but it has been hard to stay away from cigarettes.
• She encourages others to make good choices in life and to take care of yourself. She is so thankful these doctors took care of her.

Dr. Radwan Ajlan, comprehensive ophthalmologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• A specific exam inside the eye can detect heart problems through the blood vessels.
• Vickie’s eye exam revealed blockages in her arteries, which could have caused blindness or worse if left untreated.
• It is important to have regular eye exams to detect potential health problems early.
• Because we’re all part of the connected health care team at KU, it is easy to coordinate care between departments for the benefit of the patient. It’s one health system taking care of the patient as a whole.

Dr. Todd Crawford, thoracic surgeon, The University of Kansas Medical Center

• We diagnosed Vickie with innominate artery stenosis, a blockage in the main artery supplying blood to the brain and right arm.
• During surgery, we removed calcified plaque from her nominal artery and replaced it with a tightly woven polyester graph.
• Smoking leads to plaque formation and calcium buildup in arteries, which can cause vision problems.
• It takes a lot of courage to undergo an operation like this and Vickie demonstrated tremendous courage with this and her commitment to quit smoking after 53 years.

Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Hear from a woman who wanted information, options, and answers about her breast cancer diagnosis and found it with an old friend.

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