In a groundbreaking procedure, 28-year-old Chicago resident John Nicholas received a kidney transplant while staying awake throughout the surgery. The successful operation took place at Northwestern Medicine.
Nicholas experienced no pain during the procedure and was discharged just 24 hours later. This marks a notable decrease in the usual hospital stays for kidney transplant patients, which typically range from 2-3 days at Northwestern to a national average of 7 days.
Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine conduct a kidney transplant on an awake patient and discharge them the next day. pic.twitter.com/CUMLR0HE4s
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The minimally invasive surgery’s success was due to using a spinal anesthetic, similar to that used in caesarean sections, instead of general anesthesia. Dr. Satish Nadig, the transplant surgeon, explained in a press release that keeping Nicholas awake enabled the surgery to be performed on an outpatient basis.
According to the release, Dr. Nadig Vinayak Rohan, MD, a transplant surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Dr. Vicente Garcia Tomas, MD, an anesthesiologist and chief of regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine at the same hospital, conducted the surgery in under two hours. The patient was administered a type of anesthesia similar to that used during a cesarean section.
‘Administering anesthesia for the awake kidney transplant was easier than many C-sections,’ said Dr. Garcia Tomas. For John’s procedure, we administered spinal anesthesia in the operating room with a small amount of sedation for comfort. It was incredibly straightforward and uneventful, allowing John to remain awake during the surgery and enhancing his overall experience. Awake kidney transplantation benefits patients with risks or fears related to general anesthesia and can also shorten hospital stays, enabling a more comfortable recovery at home.
Nicholas had no risks or phobias related to general anesthesia and was an excellent candidate for the procedure because of his age, minimal risk factors, and enthusiasm for being part of a medical first for Northwestern Medicine.
‘It was fascinating to be aware of what was happening in real-time and to grasp the significance of their actions,’ said Nicholas. ‘At one point during the surgery, I remember asking, ‘Should I be expecting the spinal anesthesia to kick in?’ They had already done quite a bit of work, and I was completely unaware. I felt no sensation at all. Although I was given some sedation for comfort, I was still conscious of their actions, especially when they called my name and informed me of the milestones they had achieved.’
Following a successful surgery on May 24, Nicholas was discharged the next day and left the hospital on May 25. Typically, patients who undergo a kidney transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital have a hospitalization period of 2-3 days.
