Determination Brings Lasting Migraine Relief
February 22, 2019
Chesney Thompson had long dreamed of life without chronic migraines.
She had been a patient of Dr. Christopher Larsen, an ear nose and throat physician at The University of Kansas Health System, for years, but when he ruled out sinus problems as a potential cause of her migraines, Dr. Larsen recommended Chesney see Zachary Collins, MD, an interventional radiologist.
A law student at Saint Louis University, Chesney had grown used to taking exams that stretched for hours in immense pain. She hoped to find an effective treatment for her migraines before taking the bar exam, which is administered over the course of 2 9-hour days.
"The hardest thing for me besides taking long exams was not being able to enjoy my hobbies, especially running," Chesney expresses. "I remember having to run through the pain at a 5K with a friend. I hated even looking at my running shoes for weeks after."
Dr. Collins recommended treatment using a SphenoCath, which is a soft tube that delivers medication through the patient's nose. The SphenoCath therapy helped, but Chesney needed to return for frequent visits to keep her migraines at bay.
"We decided to try the newer and less invasive Tx360," Dr. Collins says. "The Tx360 does not require X-ray guidance or the use of contrast to guide the catheter. It can be done at the bedside and can provide instant relief of headache pain."
I was able to take the bar exam without any pain. That was an incredible relief. – Chesney Thompson
Chesney became the first patient at The University of Kansas Health System to have the Tx360 procedure performed in September of 2016. "We found Chesney needed weekly treatments for several months until her headache cycle broke," Dr. Collins explains. Thompson's last migraine was in January 2017.
"I was able to take the bar exam without any pain. That was an incredible relief,” she says. “I credit my exam success to Dr. Collins, because he found a treatment that allowed me to prepare for the bar free from daily headaches."
Thompson is now working as a law clerk for a circuit court judge in Jackson County, Mo.
"It's so nice to be able to go to work, make plans to see friends and enjoy my hobbies. Before, I avoided making plans for fear of having to cancel," she relates.
"The staff at The University of Kansas Health System went out of their way to provide me with exceptional care, even making it possible for me to have same-day appointments when the pain was really bad. I’m so thankful – they went above and beyond."