Duke Health

To diagnose and treat his eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), Richard Best, 15, has undergone multiple endoscopies -- procedures in which a narrow, flexible tube with a light and small video camera is inserted through the mouth and fed down the esophagus. Endoscopies usually require sedation, along with the inherent risks of anesthesia and more time in the hospital. In May 2024, Richard became Duke Health’s first patient to undergo a transnasal endoscopy, in which the scope is fed through the nose. No anesthesia is required, and he returned to his normal activities that same day.

Immunizations and vaccines offer protection to babies and older adults from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The respiratory virus, which peaks from fall to early spring, can cause severe symptoms, and lead to hospitalization or even death in babies, chronically ill older children, and the elderly. Here, Duke Health pediatric infectious disease doctor Ganga Moorthy, MD, explains why immunizations are important, who should get them, and how they work.

Andy Torres was a toddler when he was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing aids and speech therapy helped Andy learn to communicate, but his hearing and speech progress plateaued as he approached adolescence. After receiving a cochlear implant -- a surgically implanted device that delivers sound by directly stimulating the auditory nerve -- at Duke Health, Andy now hears high-frequency sounds he couldn’t hear before, he can better understand conversation, and he’s performing better in school. “Whatever we can do to improve his life, we will do it,” Andy’s dad Serguei Torres said. “That's why we said yes to the cochlear implant.”