Jennifer Mathews: Pink from head to toe, Jordan Ellis fits in with a stereotypical little girl today. But, things were different in the beginning.
Lisa Ellis: She was born 9 weeks premature at 31 weeks. It's very scary. I mean, so scary.
Jennifer Mathews: Jordan developed a condition called hydrocephalus. Too much fluid builds up in the patient's brain and problems develop.
Jogi Pattisapu: They have severe problems with thinking, developmental issues of spasticity or stiffness.
Jennifer Mathews: A shunt drains fluid from the brain into the abdomen.
Jogi Pattisapu: All of these are small little holes, here which unfortunately get blocked with debris or tissue, and the patient experiences too much pressure within the brain.
Jennifer Mathews: Dr. Jogi Pattisapu developed a new procedure that allows doctors to unclog a shunt without surgery. A tiny needle with a microscopic camera is inserted in the shunt. Doctors can locate and remove debris.
Jogi Pattisapu: The nice thing about it is there is no open incision or scar, so there is less healing and less pain, and less challenges to the child. It's just like all of us having a car that we just take it to the shop to get it fixed rather than replace it every time.
Jennifer Mathews: When Jordan's shunt clogged after a year, she had it cleared with the new procedure.
Paul Ellis: What's really changed is just quality of life for her and for us.
Lisa Ellis: Right after it was done, we noticed a huge difference in her vocabulary. It just took off, and she is a talker.
Jennifer Mathews: And a good laugher, too. This is Jennifer Mathews reporting.
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