04.09.2026 07:11
A kidney transplanted from a pig in the US functioned in a patient's body for 271 days.
A kidney transplanted from a genetically modified pig in the US continued to function for 271 days in the body of a patient named Tim Andrews. The transplant, recorded as the longest-working pig kidney in a human to date, was considered a significant development in xenotransplantation research for patients awaiting organs.
A notable development occurred in the field of organ transplantation in the US. A kidney transplanted from a genetically modified pig into Tim Andrews, who had end-stage kidney failure, worked for 271 days, reaching the longest duration in this field.
The team at Mass General Brigham Hospital stated that the results indicate pig organs could serve as a "bridge" for patients until a suitable human organ is found.
WORKED FOR 271 DAYS
Andrews, who had end-stage kidney failure due to type 2 diabetes, was 66 years old when he was operated on on January 25, 2025. According to data published in The Lancet, the transplanted pig kidney began working immediately after the surgery.
The kidney continued to function for 271 days until it was removed in October of the same year.
Andrews recounted that the transplant gave him "hope" again and allowed him to live for months without being connected to a dialysis machine.
WHY WAS THE PIG KIDNEY REMOVED?
In the early stages of the transplant, signs that the immune system was rejecting the organ were observed. This condition was brought under control by adjusting the medications used.
However, after about six months, damage and inflammation developed in the blood vessels of the kidney. As the kidney gradually lost its function, the organ was removed. Doctors reported that the exact cause of the damage has not yet been determined.
After the pig kidney was removed, Andrews received dialysis treatment for 82 days. A kidney transplant from a human donor was then performed, and it was stated that this kidney is working well.
69 GENOMIC MODIFICATIONS WERE MADE TO THE PIG
An ordinary pig kidney was not used in the transplant. Researchers subjected Yucatan miniature pigs to 69 genomic modifications.
With these changes, some pig characteristics that could cause an attack by the human immune system were eliminated, while genetic adjustments were made to help the organ become more compatible with the human body. Additionally, the aim was to reduce the risk of infection that could be caused by some viruses found in the pig genome.
NEW HOPE IN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION
The transplantation of cells, tissues, or organs from other species into humans is called xenotransplantation. Pigs are at the center of these studies because their organs are close in size to human organs and they are relatively easy to breed.
Dr. Leonardo Riella from the Mass General Brigham Center for Transplantation Sciences drew attention to organ failure and stated that xenotransplantation could become an important option in the future, especially for patients without a living donor.
Researchers, on the other hand, emphasized that while this case reveals the potential of pig-to-human kidney transplantation, the problems that need to be solved continue.