US’ 1st Awake Patient Kidney Transplant with Next Day Discharge
For the first time in the US, a kidney transplant was carried out on an awake patient with next-day discharge.
John Nicholas, a 28-year-old from Chicago, had been battling kidney problems since he was a teenager. By 2022, his kidneys were deteriorating, and he required a transplant. Finding a donor became difficult, but his childhood best friend, Pat Wise, stepped up without hesitation.
Northwestern Medicine specialists used a unique technique to execute John’s operation. He was awake during the entire transplant, thanks to a special spinal anesthesia. This not only reduced risks but also allowed John to be discharged from the hospital within 24 hours.
Surgery Lasted Two Hours
The procedure was performed on May 24th at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and lasted less than two hours. In a first for the hospital, the surgeons used a spinal anesthetic rather than a general one. The anesthesia was administered directly into the fluid that surrounds the lower spinal cord. “For John’s case, we placed a spinal anesthesia shot in the operating room with a little bit of sedation for comfort. It was incredibly simple and uneventful, but allowed John to be awake for the procedure, improving the patient experience,” said Dr. Garcia Tomas.
Discharged Within a Day
He left the hospital one day after surgery, which is much shorter than the typical 2-3 day stay for kidney transplant patients. According to the press release, John was chosen for this treatment because of his young age and low-risk factors.
‘I Was Aware’
“It was a pretty cool experience to know what was happening in real time and be aware of the magnitude of what they were doing,” said Nicholas. “At one point during surgery, I recall asking, ‘should I be expecting the spinal anesthesia to kick in?’ They had already been doing a lot of work and I had been completely oblivious to that fact. Truly, no sensation whatsoever. I had been given some sedation for my own comfort, but I was still aware of what they were doing. Especially when they called out my name and told me about certain milestones they had reached.”
Required Transplant Since 2022
Living with Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease) since a young age, Nicholas faced a new challenge at 16. Lab tests revealed that his kidney function had decreased. Doctors discovered that inflammation was damaging his kidneys. By 2022, his health had worsened to the point that he needed a kidney transplant.
Pat gave him a life-saving gift
