In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Chinese surgeons have successfully performed the world's first live pig liver transplant into a cancer patient. The procedure was carried out using a 10-gene-edited pig liver at a hospital in Anhui Province, East China.
The patient, a 71-year-old man with a large hepatic tumor, underwent surgery on May 17. Remarkably, he was able to walk freely just seven days post-operation, with no signs of organ rejection. The transplanted liver is functioning as expected, producing approximately 200 milliliters of bile daily.
Sun Beicheng, chief surgeon and president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, highlighted the significance of this milestone. \"This marks a genuine xenogeneic pig liver transplant into a living person, paving the way for full liver transplants in the future,\" he told CGTN in a phone interview.
Xenotransplantation, the practice of transplanting organs from one species to another, has long been a goal for the medical community due to the shortage of available human organs. Pigs are considered ideal donors because of the similarities in organ size and anatomy to humans. However, challenges such as the human body's natural rejection responses and the risk of infections from undetected viruses have made this type of transplant difficult.
This pioneering procedure in China follows earlier attempts in the United States, where pig heart and kidney transplants have been conducted with varying degrees of success. Unlike previous cases, this transplant from Anhui Medical University involved a multidisciplinary team and adhered to strict ethical standards, ensuring the patient's informed consent and emphasizing compassion and non-harm.
Sun believes that this success not only offers hope to liver cancer patients but also sets new surgical standards for future xenotransplants. The innovative technique involved rotating the transplanted liver by 45 degrees to fit into the patient's body, showcasing the surgeons' advanced expertise.
As this field of medicine continues to evolve, the successful integration of pig organs into humans could revolutionize treatments for those suffering from organ failure and other critical health conditions.
Reference(s):
Chinese surgeons ace world's first live pig liver transplant
cgtn.com
