American surgeons performed a kidney transplant during which the patient remained awake. The latter was able to return home the next day. This world first could improve access to this type of transplantation for patients for whom general anesthesia is at risk, while reducing the length of stay for all transplant patients.
Beyond the technical prowess, this kidney transplant treated as an outpatient surgery could improve access to this type of transplantation for patients who have previously had no solution. It also significantly reduces the length of hospitalization.
Nicholas’ best friend donates a kidney to him
At age 16, Nicholas began having kidney problems after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease years earlier. Inflammation in his kidneys caused damage, but the root cause was never found. After moving to Chicago in early 2022, his kidney function declined and it became clear he would need a kidney transplant.
He turns to his group of friends he’s known since elementary school, and his best friend, Pat Wise, 29, who works for a public health agency, has little hesitation: “I was in my kitchen making dinner and John texted me and said, ‘My doctor says it’s time for me to start looking for kidney donors.’ I looked at my phone and without hesitation, I filled out the form that night. John is a good friend. He needed a kidney and I had an extra one. I had to at least explore the possibility of being his donor.” Wise was found to be a match, traveled to Chicago, where surgeons removed one of his kidneys and transplanted it into Nicholas, in a first-of-its-kind procedure.
Nicholas had no risks or phobias to general anesthesia, but was an excellent candidate for the procedure due to his age, limited risk factors, and desire to participate in a medical first for Northwest Medicine .
On May 24 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, transplant surgeon Dr. Nadig and anesthesiologist Vicente Garcia Tomas performed the operation, which lasted less than two hours. The patient was given a type of anesthesia similar to that used during a cesarean section. “In the operating room, it was an incredible experience to be able to show a patient what their new kidney looked like before it was placed in the body,” the surgeon said.
