Physicians at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China reported a groundbreaking procedure. They transplanted a genetically engineered pig liver into a 71-year-old male patient. According to CNN, the man survived for 171 days after the operation. For 38 of those days, the pig organ functioned inside his body.
In May 2024, doctors removed a liver tumor and then attached a modified liver from an 11-month-old cloned pig to the remaining part of the patient’s own liver. The patient, who had been suffering from cirrhosis and cancer, received the donor pig liver, which had undergone ten specific genetic alterations to minimize immune rejection and reduce the risk of infection.
By the 37th day after surgery, the patient began showing signs of distress: his blood pressure dropped sharply, his heart rate spiked, and he drifted in and out of consciousness. By this time, his remaining liver tissue was strong enough to sustain normal function. As a result, surgeons removed the pig organ on day 38, and his liver continued to perform adequately afterward.
About four months later, on day 135, the man experienced severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite medical intervention, he passed away on day 171.
Researchers behind the procedure emphasized that the case provided valuable insights into both the limitations and potential of xenotransplantation, which involves the transplantation of organs or tissues from one species to another. Specifically, they noted that transplanting pig livers into humans could one day serve as a temporary, life-supporting measure. With this approach, critically ill patients might survive until their own liver recovers or a suitable human donor organ becomes available.
