Surgeons in China have successfully performed a pig-to-human lung transplant, marking the feasibility of the procedure despite the need for further testing. According to scientists at the National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease in Guangzhou, the pig lung transplanted into a brain-dead human recipient remained viable and functional for 216 hours, or nine days, without any infection or rejection.
Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs across species, is considered a potential solution to the global organ shortage crisis. Advances have been made in heart and kidney xenotransplantation from pigs to humans, but lungs present distinct challenges due to their anatomical and physiological complexity.
The transplanted lung came from a genetically modified 22-month-old, 70-kilogram male Chinese Bama Xiang pig and survived and functioned for over a week of monitoring.
The researchers concluded that genetically modified pig lungs can maintain viability and functionality in brain-dead recipients for 216 hours without hyperacute rejection or uncontrolled infection. While this success highlights the progress made in genetic modifications and immunosuppressive strategies, it also emphasizes the challenges that must be addressed for clinical translation.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/china-surgeons-conduct-pig-to-human-lung-transplant/a-73764713?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
