Pig's kidney transplanted into a human body: A scientific breakthrough.

A genetically modified pig and a brain-dead human on a ventilator whose family had agreed to the experiment to advance science were used in the experiment.

By successfully transplanting a pig kidney into a human body, American doctors revolutionized the field of organ transplantation. The first experimental human kidney transplant has been done successfully. In most kidney transplant operations, the patient's immune system rejects the transplanted kidney, resulting in transplantation failure. Despite the pig's kidney being implanted into a person, the patient's body's immune system did not expel the transplanted kidney.

The procedure was carried out at New York University (NYU) Langone Health. The experiment was performed on a woman who had suffered brain death and in whom both kidneys were dysfunctional.  The experimental transplantation was then performed with the permission of their family. Three days were spent on the experiment.

Before the implantation, the pig's kidney was genetically modified. As a result, the chemicals that caused the kidney to be quickly expelled from the patient's body were eliminated. his was the reason for the success of organ transplant surgery. Within three days, the pig's kidneys had joined the woman's blood vessels.

The surgeon and head of the experiment, Robert Montgomery, said the results of the experimental transplantation of the kidney showed that the kidney was working in the same way as the normal kidney.

Generally, a certain amount of urine is expected after a human kidney is replaced. In this case, the patient's body produced the desired amount of urine after the transplant and there were no signs of rapid renal excretion. With these results, it can be assumed that the transplanted kidney was functioning properly.

The creatinine level of the patient had large changes earlier. This is what causes the signs of kidney failure. But after the transplant, the creatine levels have returned to normal. The transplanted kidney was allowed to function for three days.

Montgomery said that the patient wanted to be an organ donor but his organs were not suitable. The family, on the other hand, was relieved that this was another chance for donation. The patient was taken off the ventilator and passed away following the 54-hour test.

For years, researchers have been studying the potential of transplanting animal organs into humans. But it was not yet clear exactly how the human body can prevent them from being expelled.

Permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is necessary to produce medicinal goods from pigs, and the US approved permission to use them for meat and medicinal reasons in December 2020. The genetically modified pig was developed by the United Therapeutics Corp's Revivicor unit.

This study showed that pig kidney transplantation might be utilized in humans with kidney failure until a human kidney becomes available for transplantation. Research is still going on to find out if more organs from genetically modified animals can be transplanted to the human body.