In a medical first, surgeons at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago successfully performed a kidney transplant on a patient who remained fully awake throughout the procedure. John Nicholas, 28, witnessed the entire transplant of a kidney into his body on May 24.
The hospital revealed the groundbreaking procedure in an Instagram post on June 25, noting that spinal anesthesia was used instead of general anesthesia. This approach could potentially increase access to transplantation for patients who are high-risk for general anesthesia and decrease the length of hospital stays.
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Nicholas, who received the kidney from his childhood friend, was discharged from the hospital in less than 24 hours after the operation. He had been suffering from kidney issues since age 16 due to Crohn’s disease, with his kidney function deteriorating further after moving to Chicago. “It became clear he would need a kidney transplant. Little did he know that he was about to become part of a medical milestone,” the Instagram post read.
Dr. Satish N Nadig, a transplant surgeon and director of Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Center, described the unique experience: “Inside the operating room, it was an incredible experience being able to show a patient what their new kidney looked like before placing it inside the body.”
The Instagram post received widespread praise for the surgeons and Nicholas. One user commented, “Congratulations to the whole medical team and of course John. Hallelujah. To GOD be the glory!” Another added, “Whoaaaa. So incredible! Well done, team!”
