Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Functions in Human Patient for Record 271 Days

A genetically modified pig kidney successfully functioned inside a human body for 271 days in the United States, setting a new duration record for xenotransplantation. The recipient, 66-year-old Tim Andrews, had been undergoing dialysis due to kidney failure before receiving the modified organ transplant. To stop the human immune system from attacking and rejecting the foreign organ, scientists performed 69 genetic modifications on the pig. After functioning for 271 days, the pig kidney was removed, and Andrews spent 82 days on dialysis until receiving a transplant from a human donor, which is now functioning well. Researchers hope using pig organs can serve as a vital temporary solution for patients waiting for human organ donors. In the United States alone, around 100,000 people are waiting for kidney transplants, but only about 25,000 operations take place each year.