B1.3 US Scientists Successfully Attached Pig Kidney to Human

Last month, doctors successfully attached a kidney from a genetically engineered pig to a human body. The organ worked normally, which is a major step forward in solving the shortage of human organs for transplant.

The operation was done at New York University’s Langone Health in New York City. The pig’s genes were changed so that it no longer contained a molecule that causes rejection by the human body.

The patient was brain-dead and had signs of kidney problems. Her family agreed to the experiment before she was scheduled to be taken off of life support.

For over two days, the kidney was attached to her blood vessels. It was kept outside her body so researchers could observe it. The kidney did what it was supposed to do - filter waste and produce urine. And the body did not reject it.

This research is “a significant step,” said Dr. Robert Montgomery of the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Some scientists are researching whether GalSafe pigs can be used for heart and skin needs. Organs developed from the pigs, however, would still require specific FDA approval before being used in humans.

The successful NYU kidney transplant experiment should lead to trials in patients with serious kidney problems. The pig kidney could be used as a temporary solution until a human kidney becomes available. Or it could be tested as a permanent fix.

The current experiment was only in place for a short time. Montgomery added that any future trials could likely bring new problems that will need to be solved.

The United Network for Organ Sharing says nearly 107,000 people are currently waiting for organ transplants in the U.S. More than 90,000 are waiting for a kidney. It can take three to five years for patients to find a kidney transplant.

Karen Maschke is a researcher at the Hastings Center. She helps develop ethics and policy guidance for the trials with support from the National Institutes of Health.

She said raising pigs to be organ donors feels wrong to some people. But it may grow more acceptable with consideration for their well-being.

In transplant surgery, an organ, such as a kidney, liver, or heart, is removed from a donor and put into the body of a recipient.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common complication after transplant surgery, as the recipient's urinary system is not used to handling a new organ.

Transfusions are a common medical treatment, in which someone's blood is put into the body of another person.

A valve can help to control the flow of liquid, gas, or other material in a machine.

A skin graft is a procedure in which a piece of skin is attached to a part of the body to repair a damaged area.

Cornea is the clear outer covering of the eyeball.