Pig Kidney Removed After 130 Days Inside Human Patient
An Alabama woman, Towana Looney, who had the longest-known survival with a genetically modified pig kidney, had the organ removed after her body began to reject it, doctors announced. The transplant had lasted for 130 days before the rejection occurred, marking a significant milestone in the field of xenotransplantation — the use of animal organs in humans. Looney has since undergone surgery to remove the pig kidney and is now back on dialysis. She is recovering well at home in Gadsden, Alabama, and expressed gratitude for having been part of the research despite the outcome.
Looney’s case represents a major step forward in experimental organ transplants. Unlike earlier recipients who were critically ill and survived only a few weeks post-transplant, Looney had been relatively stable and chose to receive a pig kidney because she was not eligible for a traditional human kidney transplant. Her body was highly sensitized and likely to reject a human organ, making her a candidate for this experimental procedure. Her successful four-month period with the organ suggests progress in overcoming the body’s natural rejection of foreign tissue.
The rejection of the pig kidney is still under investigation. Doctors suspect that a combination of factors — including a slight reduction in her immune-suppressing medication due to a dialysis-related infection and the reactivation of her immune system — may have contributed to the kidney’s failure. Rather than risking higher doses of medication, which could have led to serious complications, doctors decided removal was the safer option. Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the transplant team at NYU Langone Health, emphasized that Looney remains in stable condition and gained valuable time off dialysis.
This development underscores the challenges of xenotransplantation, particularly the difficulty in managing the immune system’s response. Even with genetic alterations to make pig organs more compatible with humans, recipients still need powerful immunosuppressive drugs. However, there’s no consensus on the best combination of these medications to prevent both immediate and delayed rejection. Researchers like Dr. Tatsuo Kawai at Massachusetts General Hospital believe more clinical experience will eventually refine treatment strategies and improve outcomes.
Looney’s journey is expected to inform a larger clinical trial set to begin soon. As more patients participate in these trials, researchers hope to better understand the variables involved and improve the success rate of animal-to-human organ transplants. While still in its early stages, xenotransplantation holds promise for addressing the ongoing shortage of donor organs, offering hope to the thousands on transplant waiting lists.
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