Massachusetts General Hospital performed a groundbreaking surgery on 67-year-old Tim Andrews, who had been living with a genetically engineered pig kidney for nearly nine months. The organ was designed to address the shortage of human donor kidneys and provide a solution to the millions of people waiting for a transplant.
Andrews received the pig kidney in January after being on dialysis for over two years due to end-stage kidney disease. His rare blood type made him an ideal candidate for the transplant, which was performed by Leonardo Riella, medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General.
The pig kidney functioned well initially and was able to support Andrews' life, but its immune-rejection led surgeons to remove it on October 23. Although Andrews will now resume dialysis, eGenesis, the biotech company that provided the genetically engineered pig kidney, considers the transplant a success. "Cross-species transplantation has been a goal for centuries that has only recently become possible due to decades of research and the convergence of enabling technologies," said the company in a statement.
This surgery marks an important milestone in the field of organ transplantation, as it demonstrates the feasibility of using genetically engineered pig organs in humans. The success of this transplant paves the way for future experiments with other organs, such as hearts, which have also been explored but with limited success so far.
Andrews' experience shows that genetic editing can make animal organs compatible with human bodies, and his case has sparked interest among scientists to continue exploring the potential of cross-species transplantation. The hospital plans to carry out another genetically edited pig kidney transplant before the end of the year, which could lead to more breakthroughs in the field of organ transplantation.
The shortage of human donor kidneys remains a pressing issue, with nearly 90,000 people waiting for a transplant in the US alone. This shortage has led scientists to explore alternative sources, such as genetically engineered pig organs, which could potentially provide a solution to this crisis. While there are still challenges to be addressed, Andrews' surgery offers hope that future transplants may become more accessible and successful.
Andrews received the pig kidney in January after being on dialysis for over two years due to end-stage kidney disease. His rare blood type made him an ideal candidate for the transplant, which was performed by Leonardo Riella, medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General.
The pig kidney functioned well initially and was able to support Andrews' life, but its immune-rejection led surgeons to remove it on October 23. Although Andrews will now resume dialysis, eGenesis, the biotech company that provided the genetically engineered pig kidney, considers the transplant a success. "Cross-species transplantation has been a goal for centuries that has only recently become possible due to decades of research and the convergence of enabling technologies," said the company in a statement.
This surgery marks an important milestone in the field of organ transplantation, as it demonstrates the feasibility of using genetically engineered pig organs in humans. The success of this transplant paves the way for future experiments with other organs, such as hearts, which have also been explored but with limited success so far.
Andrews' experience shows that genetic editing can make animal organs compatible with human bodies, and his case has sparked interest among scientists to continue exploring the potential of cross-species transplantation. The hospital plans to carry out another genetically edited pig kidney transplant before the end of the year, which could lead to more breakthroughs in the field of organ transplantation.
The shortage of human donor kidneys remains a pressing issue, with nearly 90,000 people waiting for a transplant in the US alone. This shortage has led scientists to explore alternative sources, such as genetically engineered pig organs, which could potentially provide a solution to this crisis. While there are still challenges to be addressed, Andrews' surgery offers hope that future transplants may become more accessible and successful.
... don't get me wrong, its a huge step forward & all, but dont we need 2 rethink our priorities? like, werent ppl livin w/ dialysis for yrs b4 this pig kidney came along? 
also, theres still so much we dont no about the long-term effects of havin animal organs in ur body... 
just sayin
they successfully did a transplant with a genetically enggined pig kidney on someone! i mean the shortage of human donor kidneys is crazy rn like 90k people waiting for a transplant 
but at least now there's hope that biotech companies like eGenesis can make it happen 
Andrews' case shows that genetic editing can make animal organs compatible with human bodies, which is literally mind blown 
and its not just kidneys either they're already exploring hearts too 
i guess this means we might see more breakthroughs in organ transplantation in the future 
I was worried about the immune rejection part but im glad it worked out in the end. Now they're gonna try another one and hopefully more will follow, fingers crossed! 
Its like science fiction come true, the shortage of donor kidneys is real and we need solutions ASAP! 
He got a genetically engineered pig kidney & it worked for almost 9 months, which is crazy!!! 
Even tho it failed now he'll be back on dialysis but eGenesis says its a success & they're already planning another transplant soon! 
This surgery is like a game changer for people waiting for a kidney transplant! 90k+ ppl in the US alone are on dialysis or waiting for a new kidney, it's crazy! 
Andrew's story is so inspiring and I'm literally rooting for him 100% 
I'm all for trying new things, especially when it comes to saving lives 
. That pig kidney might not have worked out in the end, but it's still a huge step forward 
. Hopefully, future transplants will be more successful and we'll see a lot fewer people waiting on lists 
. It's amazing what scientists can accomplish with enough funding & research 
I'm literally so hyped for Tim Andrews!!! 
And now he's back on dialysis but at least it shows that genetic editing can make animal organs compatible with human bodies 
. I mean, who wouldn't want a pig kidney if it means giving you a second chance at life? 
... the fact that it can be used as a solution for people waiting for transplants is, like, totally life-changing 
... don't know if it'll become a thing or what, but it's def an exciting step forward 
... also, those 90k+ people waiting for a transplant in the US are probs getting pretty anxious, so anything that can help is a plus 
I mean who needs human organs anyway? They're all about 100% expensive and hard to find. Pig kidneys are like the new black market organ deal 
Plus, it's not like Tim Andrews was dying on a dialysis machine or something. He was basically living large on that pig kidney for almost a year. That's some next level survival skills right there 
What are the risks involved? Should we be worried about this kinda stuff? 
... it's crazy how far we've come.
It's like having your cake and eating it too (or in this case, getting a new kidney and feeling brand new)!
and yay for medical breakthroughs that might finally solve the whole organ shortage problem