NEW YORK: Surgeons in the United States have achieved a significant milestone by successfully transplanting a pig kidney into the body of a brain-dead human patient. Surprisingly, the pig kidney functioned normally for over a month indicating a positive sign. This achievement holds promise for addressing the widespread need for organ donations in the future.
The surgeons, from the New York University Langone Transplant Institute, stated that this marks the longest duration a pig kidney has remained functional within a human body, despite the recipient being deceased. According to institute director Robert Montgomery, this outcome provides further confidence for potential future studies involving living patients. The experiment involved using clinically approved immunosuppressive drugs alongside the genetically modified pig kidney.
This breakthrough holds the potential to address the organ shortage crisis. In the US, over 103,000 people require organ transplants, with more than 88,000 needing kidney transplants. Unfortunately, many individuals die each year while waiting for suitable organs.
The experiment began with the transplant of a pig kidney into the body of Maurice “Mo” Miller, a 57-year-old man. He passed away unexpectedly, and his family donated his body to science. The researchers plan to continue monitoring the experiment as it enters its second month.
Scientists aim to use animal organs to save human lives, a breakthrough that holds immense potential for medical advancement. The use of cadavers donated for scientific research is crucial in furthering research and experimentation.
Positive Results Fuel Progress
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering whether to permit small, selective studies involving pig hearts and kidneys being transplanted into volunteer patients. Successes like the one achieved by the NYU experiment could contribute to moving such efforts forward. Additionally, the University of Alabama at Birmingham reported another achievement where a pair of pig kidneys functioned successfully in another donated body for a period of seven days.
