STORY SUMMARY
Last month, surgeons at Northwestern Medicine performed one of the first awake kidney transplants on 28-year-old John Nicholas. Despite being awake with a spinal epidural nerve block and light sedation, Nicholas did not feel any pain during the procedure. This innovative method allowed Nicholas to converse with his doctors throughout the surgery. Nicholas, who had suffered from chronic kidney disease since 2013, received the kidney from his childhood best friend. Dr. Sati, one of the surgeons, emphasized that awake surgery reduces the risks associated with general anesthesia and enables quicker patient recovery. Nicholas was discharged the next day with only over-the-counter pain relief, and Northwestern Medicine has already identified five more patients for this procedure, aiming to improve more lives. Jared Hill, CBS News.
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In a groundbreaking medical procedure, Northwestern Medicine performed one of the first awake kidney transplants last month on 28-year-old John Nicholas. Nicholas, who had been living with chronic kidney disease since 2013, was aware that a transplant was inevitable. His childhood best friend stepped in as the donor, paving the way for this pioneering surgery. The decision for Nicholas to remain awake during the operation was presented to him about six weeks prior, and after discussions with the surgical team, he embraced the idea.
During the procedure, Nicholas was given a spinal epidural nerve block and light sedation, leaving him fully conscious but without sensation in his lower body. Remarkably, Nicholas didn’t even realize the surgery had begun at one point, likening the experience to a C-section where the patient is awake but numb. Dr. Satish Sati, who led the surgery, highlighted the benefits of performing the transplant while the patient is awake, noting that it mitigates the risks associated with general anesthesia and enables quicker recovery times. Nicholas was discharged the following day, requiring nothing more than an over-the-counter pain reliever.
The success of Nicholas’s transplant has prompted Northwestern Medicine to identify five additional patients for similar procedures. The medical team hopes that this innovative approach will become more widely adopted, transforming a major operation into something more akin to an overnight stay and improving the quality of life for more individuals with kidney failure. The method demonstrates significant potential in making complex surgeries safer and recovery periods shorter, marking a notable advancement in medical practice.
