Table of Contents
The man from Chicago Northwestern Medicine During a cutting-edge operation, surgeons transplanted his childhood best friend's kidney into his body. Kidney transplant surgery.
John Nicholas, 28, underwent the surgery on May 24 and “felt absolutely no pain” because doctors opted to give him a spinal anesthetic injection rather than general anesthesia, the Chicago-based health system said in a news release Monday.
Nicholas was discharged home within 24 hours of the procedure, which took less than two hours, according to the health system. The typical stay for kidney transplant patients at Northwestern Memorial is two to three days, Northwestern Medicine said.
“This is the first time at Northwestern Medicine that a patient has been conscious throughout a kidney transplant surgery and returned home the next day, making it essentially an outpatient procedure,” Dr. Satish Nadig, one of the Northwestern Medicine transplant surgeons who performed the procedure, said in a statement. “We hope that conscious kidney transplantation will reduce some of the risks of general anesthesia and shorten patients' hospital stays.”
Kidney transplantation:The surgery usually lasts 10 to 15 years. In her case it lasted 50 years and is now wearing off.
Patient describes kidney transplant surgery as 'wonderful experience'
“Anesthesia for a kidney transplant while awake is easier than most Caesarean sections,” said Dr. Vicente Garcia Tomas, the anesthesiologist who assisted in the operation.
“In John's case, we administered a spinal anesthesia injection in the operating room and a small amount of sedation for the patient's comfort,” Thomas said in a statement. “It was very easy and without any issues, and John remained conscious throughout the procedure, improving the patient experience.”
Nadig called the operation an “incredible experience” because doctors were able to show Nicholas what his new kidney would look like before implanting it inside him.
“It was an amazing experience to see what was happening in real time and understand the gravity of what they were doing,” Nicholas said in a statement. “I remember at one point during the procedure asking, 'Should I expect the spinal anesthesia to kick in?' They had already performed so much surgery that I was completely unaware of the fact. I really didn't feel anything.”
John Nicholas receives a kidney transplant from a friend who said he wanted to be with him until death
The health system said Nicholas's battle with Crohn's disease, which he began at age 16, led to a decline in his kidney function in 2022 and the need for a transplant. For years, Nicholas was able to avoid dialysis and manage inflammation in his kidneys with medication, but it became clear he would eventually need a transplant, according to Northwestern Medicine.
According to the announcement, Nicholas' mother was originally going to donate a kidney, but was unable to do so after being diagnosed with breast cancer, making it difficult to find a donor. Nicholas then contacted childhood friends he had known since elementary school in Zionsville, Indiana, including 29-year-old Pat Wise, the health system said in a statement.
“I was in the kitchen making dinner when I got a message from John saying, 'The doctor says it's time to start looking for a kidney donor.' I stared at my phone and without hesitation filled out the form that night,” Wise said of receiving the email from Nicholas. “John is a good friend. He needed a kidney, but I had an extra one. I needed to at least explore being a possible donor for him.”
Once Wise was found to be a match, he traveled from Alexandria, Virginia, to Chicago, where surgeons removed one of his kidneys and transplanted it into Nicholas, according to Northwestern Medicine.
“I've been blessed with a group of friends that I've had that have stayed with me since I was a little kid,” Nicholas said in a statement. “We've always called ourselves 'together for life' friends and this just shows that we have each other's backs. It means the world to me. It's truly life-changing.”
The procedure “opens a whole new door” for future kidney transplants
According to a press release, Nicholas, who had to limit his salt intake before his surgery, now craves a few slices of pizza and has more energy to go for bike rides around the Chicago area.
“When John agreed to be the first patient at Northwestern Medicine to receive a kidney transplant while conscious and be discharged the next day, he knew the benefits outweighed the risks, and thanks to him, he is now helping to advance the field of transplantation,” Dr. Vinayak Lohan, the surgeon who helped perform the surgery, said in the release.
Northwestern Medicine is currently considering establishing the AWAKE program (Expedited Kidney Transplantation Without General Anesthesia) for patients who want to undergo surgery but cannot undergo general anesthesia due to the high risk of complications.
“This really opens a whole new door and adds another tool to our toolbelt in the transplant field,” Nadig said in the release.
