An American recently made headlines after surviving a groundbreaking 271 days on a pig kidney transplant before receiving a human kidney in Boston earlier this year. The successful procedure has kept him alive since then, as revealed by researchers on Thursday.
The milestone treatment at Massachusetts General Brigham is a significant advancement in xenotransplantation, a method involving the transfer of organs from one species to another. This groundbreaking achievement was documented in a study published in The Lancet medical journal.
The case showcases the viability of pig kidneys in supporting kidney function while serving as a transition stage leading to a human kidney transplant, as outlined by the study’s authors.
66-year-old Tim Andrews underwent the pig kidney transplant on January 25, 2025, at Massachusetts General. Remarkably, he did not require dialysis for over 270 days until the subsequent human kidney transplant.
The hospital noted, “His case marks the longest survival post pig kidney xenotransplantation without dialysis in a living human, culminating in the first human kidney transplantation transition.”
Dr. Leonardo Riera, the lead author of the study, envisions xenotransplantation as a promising solution to the organ shortage crisis in transplantation, particularly for patients with end-stage renal disease awaiting kidney transplants.
Riera emphasized, “Organ shortage is the biggest crisis we currently face in transplantation. We know that transplantation is the best treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease who develop kidney failure, but there are not enough human organs to transplant in a timely manner.”
With over 100,000 people on the nationwide transplant waiting list, the majority eagerly await kidney transplants. For patients like Andrews, the temporary use of pig kidneys could offer a crucial window to secure a human donor.
Riera envisions xenotransplantation as a means to bridge the gap between dialysis and human kidney transplantation, potentially evolving into a standalone treatment option once long-term safety and efficacy are established.
In 2024, Massachusetts General pioneered the first pig-to-human kidney transplant globally, with the recipient surviving 52 days before succumbing to unrelated heart disease, as reported by the hospital.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
