Transplanted pig kidney works in US man's body for record 271 days
Summary
Doctors at Mass General Brigham hospital transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a man named Tim Andrews, and it worked inside his body for 271 days, which is the longest time recorded so far. The pig kidney helped delay the need for regular dialysis until a human donor kidney became available.Key Facts
- Tim Andrews received a pig kidney transplant on January 25, 2025, because his own kidneys were failing from type 2 diabetes.
- The pig kidney started working immediately and lasted 271 days in his body.
- The pig was genetically modified to reduce immune rejection by adding human genes and removing pig genes that cause organ rejection or contain viruses.
- After the pig kidney failed, Andrews underwent dialysis for 82 days before getting a human donor kidney in January 2026.
- Around 100,000 people in the US are waiting for kidney transplants, but only about 25,000 transplants happen yearly.
- Pigs are good candidates for organ transplants because their organs are similar in size to humans and pigs are widely farmed.
- Xenotransplantation is the medical term for transplanting organs from one species to another, such as from pigs to humans.
- Doctors hope pig organ transplants can be a temporary solution (a "bridge") for patients waiting for human donors.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
