By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully performed the fourth pig kidney transplant in the U.S.<\/p>\n
The recipient of the genetically modified pig organ was a 66-year-old man with kidney failure, surgeons said.<\/p>\n
The transplant, performed in late January, came shortly after a woman in Alabama<\/a> received a transplanted, gene-edited pig kidney, and it marks a major step in efforts to address a critical nationwide shortage of donor organs.<\/p>\n The latest transplant was part of a new clinical trial approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing whether genetically modified pig organs can work long-term in human patients.<\/p>\n The recipient, Tim Andrews of Concord, N.H., spent more than two years on dialysis before the transplant surgery, The New York Times <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n He suffered a heart attack shortly after starting dialysis. Hours-long treatments every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday left him feeling fatigued and nauseous most of the time, according to the report. By August, when he began discussing a transplant with doctors at Mass General, he was relying on a wheelchair.<\/p>\n His doctors advised him he had to get in better shape for the surgery, so he started doing physical therapy and walking.<\/p>\n Just one week after receiving the pig kidney, Andrews was well enough to leave the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like a new engine — suddenly I had an energy machine pouring into me,\u201d Andrews told The Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I got out of the recovery room and went to the intensive care unit, I actually tap-danced between the table and my bed,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019m so happy, it\u2019s unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n If pig organ transplants prove to be safe and effective, questions remain about their cost and insurance coverage.<\/p>\n Most kidney failure patients are unable to work and rely on Medicare, but it\u2019s unclear if Medicare or private insurance will cover pig kidney transplants in the future.<\/p>\n More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for organ transplants. Most need kidneys.<\/p>\n Many people die before getting one due to the shortage of human donor organs.<\/p>\n To help bridge the gap, several biotech companies have been genetically modifying pigs so their organs are less likely to be rejected by the human body.<\/p>\n The kidney Andrews received came from a pig that had 69 gene edits, including 59 changes to reduce the risk of viral infections, The Times <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n The clinical trial, which is using pig kidneys developed by eGenesis, is one of numerous FDA-approved studies<\/a> exploring the potential of using animal organs in human patients.<\/p>\n Another trial, sponsored by United Therapeutics Corporation, is to begin later this year.<\/p>\n While Andrews and another patient, Towana Looney of Alabama, have recovered well after receiving pig kidneys, two other recipients died shortly after their procedures last year.<\/p>\n One of them, Lisa Pisano of New Jersey<\/a>, had her transplant in New York using a pig kidney developed by United Therapeutics Corporation.<\/p>\n The other, Rick Slayman of Massachusetts<\/a>, received an eGenesis kidney at Mass General and died two months later.<\/p>\n Despite these challenges, Dr. Tatsuo Kawai<\/a>, the lead surgeon involved in the operations at Mass General, said doctors were constantly learning.<\/em><\/p>\n The goal? \u201cTo make genetically edited pig organs a viable, long-term solution for patients,\u201d Kawai said in a statement to The Times<\/em>. \u201cAlthough we have a long way to go to make that a reality, this transplant is an important next step.\u201d<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The National Kidney Foundation has more on xenotransplantation<\/a>.<\/p>\n