US surgeons have successfully undergone the first-of-its-kind procedure of implanting a heart from a genetically modified pig in a human patient.
It is a breakthrough for an animal’s heart to survive in a human without immediate rejection. The donor pig underwent a procedure that prevented organ rejection by the patient. The donated organ was kept in a machine to preserve it before surgery. A new drug was also used along with conventional anti-rejection drugs. The patient is currently monitored to see how the new organ performs.
This surgery brings us closer to solving the organ shortage crisis. 110,000 Americans are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and more than 6,000 patients die each year before getting one. This breakthrough xenotransplantation or cross-species organ donation also brings hope to those not eligible for human transplants.
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