In March of 2024, a new milestone in organ transplantation was achieved: 62-year-old Richard Slayman, who had been suffering acute liver failure and living on dialysis for over a decade, became the first recipient of a pig kidney transplant. Shortly after that, in April, 54-year-old Lisa Pisano became the second recipient of a porcine kidney.
Transplanting animal tissues and organs into humans is called xenotransplantation, and it’s becoming a major focus of surgical research. Currently, the number of people waiting to receive transplanted organs vastly exceeds the available supply, leading to thousands of theoretically avoidable deaths every year. According to the US Health Resources & Services Administration, 17 people die every day waiting for a transplant.
But what if they didn’t have to wait for human organs to become available? What if animal organs could be used instead? This tantalizing possibility has led to intense research into xenotransplantation, particularly centered on pig organs. Swine are well-known for being very similar to humans in terms of anatomy and biological functions, more than any other creature. From their skin to their pancreas, pigs are surprisingly compatible with humans. So, the idea of putting a pig’s organs into a human body is not purely the stuff of campy science fiction. We’re coming closer every day to making it a reality.
Advances in Porcine Kidney Transplantation
The cases of Mr. Slayman and Ms. Pisano were similar. Both were suffering from long-term kidney failure and living on dialysis, combined with cardiovascular issues and other complications. Mr. Slayman had Type 2 diabetes, while Ms. Pisano was fighting kidney and heart failure at the same time. Neither was eligible for further human organ transplants and were considered terminal cases.
This made them both excellent candidates for experimental xenotransplantation surgery. Pig kidneys are similar in size and function to human kidneys, although not identical. Rather than using a regular porcine kidney, the kidneys came from genetically modified swine, which had some genes removed that would have triggered organ rejection – always the biggest risk in organ transplants.
Both procedures were initially successful. Mr. Slayman left Massachusetts General Hospital on April 3 under his power, without the need for dialysis. Ms. Pisano never left the hospital, as she had also received an LVAD heart pump and was under close observation. However, in an interview, she stated she “felt great” after the surgery, better than before the procedure.
Unfortunately, neither lived long. Mr. Slayman passed in May 2024. While the exact details of his death have not been released, a representative of Massachusetts General said there was “no indication” his death was due to the pig kidney transplant. Ms. Slayman faced complications from both the transplant and her heart pump, passing in July while still in the hospital.
The Difficulties of Organ Transplantation
While these early attempts at xenotransplantation unfortunately did not result in long-term survival, the history of organ transplantation has been one of gradual progress and valuable lessons. For example, the first successful heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in December 1967. His patient, Louis Washkansky, was briefly able to move around independently. However, just 18 days later, Mr. Washkansky died from pneumonia, a complication that arose due to the anti-rejection medications suppressing his immune system.
These recent cases of porcine xenotransplantation were not the first of their kind. In 2022 and 2023, pig hearts were transplanted into David Bennett and Lawrence Faucette, respectively. Mr. Bennett survived for two months before succumbing to a pig virus in the heart that had evaded screening. Mr. Faucette lived for six weeks before his body rejected the organ.
One major challenge with these early xenotransplantation attempts was that all the patients were already critically ill and near death before the procedure. In Mr. Faucette’s case, he even suffered a heart attack the night before his transplant. Since experimental surgeries like this are only approved for the direst of situations, both the medical teams and the patients faced enormous hurdles, even if the organs had been human. Moreover, the issue of anti-rejection medications, which suppress the immune system, has been a persistent challenge throughout the history of organ transplantation.
It’s important to note, however, that all these patients lived longer than Louis Washkansky, the first heart transplant recipient. Today, thousands of heart transplants are performed annually, with excellent long-term outcomes. With further advancements in medicine, it’s possible that porcine xenotransplantation could also become a viable and successful option, as scientists refine techniques and fine-tune the balance of medications to prevent rejection while minimizing the risk of infections.
The Future of Xenotransplantation
Without a doubt, the idea of transplanting animal tissue and organs into humans will continue to be explored. The gains – thousands of lives potentially saved every year – far outweigh the risks, especially if the experimental surgeries are only performed on people already considered hopelessly terminal cases.
At an April 2024 conference, one of the foremost researchers in xenotransplantation, Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin, still fully believed that the process would be viable within a matter of hears. Dr. Mohiuddin has performed hundreds of experimental transplantation surgeries on animals, laying the groundwork for the human operations that are now occurring.
This is a genuinely exciting field, and we’ll be following it closely in the years to come.
In the meantime, Animal Biotech Industries is here to help support pig kidney transplant research! We are one of the country’s leading sources of porcine tissues and organs for medical research and educational purposes. Our expert staff can harvest virtually any post-mortem tissue, to order, with the highest attention paid to reliability in our products.
We can now offer same-day or next-morning deliveries with real-time tracking. We’ve even updated our packaging recently to be more eco-friendly, utilizing sustainable packing and options for either reusable or biodegradable containers and cold packs – without compromising the materials within.
Browse our tissue catalog, or contact us to discuss your specific needs.
