First ever case: Human patient transplanted pig kidney by US doctors

New York, Oct 20  Doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York temporarily transplanted a pig's kidney onto a human in first ever case. It is a 'significant step' toward animal-to-human organ transplants, the media reported.

The family of the recipient, who had wanted to be an organ donor, gave permission for the surgery to go ahead.Incidentally the US  FDA has also approved the use of the genetically modified pig organs for this type of research use.

Animal-to-human transplant, known as xenotransplantations, dates back to the 17th century, when attempts were made to use animal blood for transfusion.

The kidney came from a pig that had been genetically modified so that its tissues no longer contained a molecule known to trigger immediate rejection.Experts claim that it is the most advanced experiment in the field so far.

The recipient of the transplant was a brain-dead patient, whose kidneys were dysfunctional, the Independent reported. The team of doctors kept the woman's body going on a ventilator after her family agreed to the experiment. To avoid immediate rejection from the human immune system due to the presence of a sugar molecule in pig cells called Glycan, the doctors altered the pig's genes.