Surgeons at NYU Langone Health in New York City have successfully transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney into a brain-dead patient, which has been functioning properly for over six weeks. This is the longest recorded period that a pig kidney has operated successfully in a human. The patient’s family granted permission for the procedure after he was declared brain-dead and his organs were deemed unsuitable for transplantation. The hope is that xenotransplantation, the transplantation of animal organs into humans, will provide a solution to the organ shortage crisis. The surgical team at NYU Langone removed the patient’s own kidneys on July 14 and replaced them with the pig kidney to test its function. The kidney has been performing optimally, with no signs of rejection or complications. The researchers “knocked out” the gene responsible for the human body’s immune response to animal organs to prevent rejection. The study’s success suggests that pig kidneys may be a viable long-term transplant option. The team will continue monitoring the recipient’s organ until mid-September. The researchers aim to conduct clinical trials soon but prioritize safety and care. This breakthrough gives hope to the 100,000 people in the US currently awaiting organ transplants. Xenotransplantation and 3D printed organs are being explored as alternative methods to address the organ shortage. Experts believe that xenotransplantation is closer to clinical trials, while 3D printed organs remain a more distant possibility. Dr. Ron Shapiro, a surgical director at Mount Sinai’s Transplantation Institute, lauded the NYU Langone study as a significant step toward implementing xenotransplantation in clinical practice.
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