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🇷🇸 Serbia /Health & Science

Medical Record: Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Worked in Man for 271 Days

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A genetically modified pig kidney functioned in Tim Andrews’s body for 271 days, setting the longest recorded duration for such a transplant.
  • The kidney eventually failed and doctors removed it, after which Andrews received a human donor kidney.
  • Researchers are studying xenotransplantation as a possible bridge for patients facing long waits for human organs.

A genetically modified pig kidney functioned inside a human patient for 271 days, the longest recorded period so far, according to U.S. doctors.

Tim Andrews said the transplant gave him “hope” and allowed him to spend months away from hospital dialysis. The kidney eventually stopped working and doctors removed it. Andrews then underwent dialysis for 82 days before receiving a human donor kidney in January. That organ is currently functioning well.

hope

· Tim AndrewsAndrews described what the pig-kidney transplant gave him and its effect on his time away from dialysis.

Andrews had end-stage kidney disease caused by type 2 diabetes. He underwent the xenotransplant on January 25, 2025, at age 66. The transplanted kidney began working immediately, according to data published in The Lancet.

I had little time... It becomes very depressing

· Tim AndrewsHe described the pressure created by his worsening kidney failure and the long wait for a human organ.

Doctors and scientists are investigating xenotransplantation because of the shortage of human organs. About 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a kidney transplant, while roughly 25,000 kidney transplants take place each year. More than 7,000 people are on the kidney waiting list in the United Kingdom.

Andrews was told he might wait as long as seven years for a human organ. People on dialysis live for about five years on average. “I had little time... It becomes very depressing,” he said, describing the pig kidney as “hope” and “a light at the end of the tunnel.” Researchers used miniature Yucatan pigs with 69 genetic modifications to make their organs more compatible with the human body, reduce immune rejection and deactivate viruses hidden in pig DNA.

a light at the end of the tunnel

· Tim AndrewsAndrews used the phrase to describe the transplant’s promise.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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