In a rare development, a team of doctors in the US performed a first-ever kidney transplant in which the patient was awake throughout the entire procedure and was discharged the next day as well. John Nicholas who lives in Indianapolis, went through an awake kidney transplant in Chicago. The kidney was a donation from his childhood friend, as per news reports.
A Spinal Epidural Shot
The doctors administered a spinal epidural shot instead of going with conventional anaesthesia. A spinal epidural is a regional anaesthesia which is frequently utilized during a cesarean section surgery or a routine colonoscopy.
“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,” Nicholas said in a news release, adding he felt “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.”
Nicholas needed “zero opioid narcotic pain medication — so just that, in and of itself, is great,” Dr. Satish Nadig, transplant surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center, said in a news conference Monday.
“The patient was able to be discharged home in less than 24 hours, basically making this an outpatient procedure,” Nadig said in a news release. “Our hope is that awake kidney transplantation can decrease some of the risks of general anaesthesia while also shortening a patient’s hospital stay.”
“During surgery, I was even able to able to show John his kidney, which was the first time I’ve ever been able to do that with a patient,” he added. “Because of John, he’s moving the entire field of transplantation forward.”
Nicholas Was Diagnosed With Crohn’s Disease
After being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease Nicholas started having issues with his kidney when he was 16. Despite successfully managing his condition with medication for several years, his declining kidney function in early 2022 necessitated a transplant.
When his mother was unable to donate due to a breast cancer diagnosis, his childhood best friend, 29-year-old Pat Wise, immediately filled out a donor form and was confirmed as a suitable match.
“We always called ourselves ‘ride or die’ friends, and this example shows that we have each other’s backs. It meant the world to me. It’s truly been life-changing,” Nicholas said. He also added that he is eagerly looking forward to gaining back his energy for the bike rides and enjoying pizza as previously he had to maintain his salt intake rigorously.
AWAKE Program
Northwestern Medicine is now planning to launch the AWAKE Program (Accelerated Surgery Without General Anesthesia in Kidney Transplantation) to offer similar surgical options to other patients in need.
“It really opens up a whole new door and is another tool in our toolbelt for the field of transplantation,” Nadig said.
