Surgeons in the United States recently conducted the first-ever genetically modified pig kidney transplant into a human patient.
The landmark achievement will hopefully lead to better organ availability for those suffering from severe illness and disease.
Boston Surgeons Perform First Pig Kidney Transplant
In March, a group of surgeons from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston announced they performed the first-ever transplant on a living human using a genetically edited pig kidney.
During the lengthy four-hour procedure, the surgeons were able to successfully connect the blood vessels and ureters of the pig kidney to those of Richard Slayman, their 62-year-old patient.
Slayman Goes Through with Kidney Transplant in 2018
Slayman previously had a kidney transplant at the same hospital back in 2018.
However, after a few years, the kidney began to show signs of failure, and he was forced to go back on dialysis, per The Associated Press.
Doctors Suggest a Pig Kidney Transplant for Patient
Continuous dialysis complications began to arise for the 62-year-old, which required several procedures.
During this period, the doctors decided to opt for a pig kidney transplant in hopes of saving the patient’s life.
Hope for Thousands of People
Slayman agreed to the partially risky transplant, hoping it could pave the way for those to receive similar lifesaving surgeries in the future.
“I saw it not only as a way to help me, but a way to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” said Slayman, a systems manager for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, per ABC News.
‘The Most Beautiful Kidney’
The entire surgery took 15 people over four hours to complete. Once completed, joy soon followed as the kidney turned pink and began producing urine, a sign that it was functioning correctly.
“It was truly the most beautiful kidney I have ever seen,” said Dr. Tatuso Kawai, the transplant surgeon.
Pig Kidney Should Last Two Years
During a statement, Kawai said the pig kidney should allow Slayman to live without kidney complications for the next few years.
However, should it fail, the patient can always go back on dialysis, said Dr. Winfred Williams.
First Time Transplanting a Genetically Modified Pig Kidney
Slayman’s procedure is the first time a genetically modified pig kidney has been successfully transplanted into a living human.
Early experiments that saw two donors receive heart transplants from pigs had patients die a few months after the surgery.
A Big Step Forward in the Medical World
The chief of surgical transplantation at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Parsia Vagefi, called the successful surgery “a big step forward.”
He suggested that more studies should be conducted at other medical centers before pig kidney transplants became more available.
The Courage of the Patient
Dr. John Madsen, director of the Mass General Transplant Center, said such a procedure would not be possible without the bravery of Slayman.
“This surgery, once deemed unimaginable, would not have been possible without his courage and his willingness to embark on a journey into uncharted medical territory,” he said.
The Future of Xenotransplantation
Slayman’s surgery marks the latest developments in xenotransplantation, the process of healing human diseases and illnesses using animal cells, tissues, and organs.
For decades, the efforts failed until scientists began modifying the animal genes to better suit a human host.
Pig Kidney Provided by eGenesis
eGenesis, a large pharmaceutical company based in Massachusetts, edited the pig kidney provided for Slayman’s transplant.
The company successfully removed any genes deemed detrimental to a human host and added others to ensure the best chance of compatibility.
