Transplanted pig kidney works in US man's body for record 271 days

A man, Tim Andrews, has lived for a record 271 days with a transplanted pig kidney, according to US doctors at Mass General Brigham hospital. This xenotransplantation served as a "bridge" for Andrews while he waited for a human kidney transplant, sparing him months of dialysis. The procedure demonstrates the potential of using pig organs to address organ shortages, as thousands of people in the US and UK are on kidney transplant waiting lists. Although the pig organ eventually failed and was removed, Andrews eventually received a human donor kidney.

A 66-year-old man, Tim Andrews, received a genetically modified pig kidney in a world-first procedure that kept him alive and off dialysis for a record nine months. The pig kidney, from an animal named Wilma, was engineered for compatibility with Andrews' immune system to act as a temporary "bridge" while he waited for a human transplant. This breakthrough, published in The Lancet, offers hope for millions facing organ shortages. Andrews was able to resume normal activities during this period before the pig kidney began to fail and he received a human donor kidney. This case demonstrates the potential of xenotransplantation to address the critical organ supply gap.