Organ appears to function for 10 days, raising prospect of short-term use for those on transplant listA genetically modified pig liver that was transplanted into a brain-dead patient appeared to function successfully inside their body for 10 days, according to the scientists who performed the groundbreaking procedure.The surgery, at a Chinese hospital last year, is thought to mark the first time a pig liver has been transplanted into a human. It raises the prospect of pig livers serving as a “bridging organ” for patients on the waiting list for a transplant or to support liver function while their own organ regenerates. Continue reading...
Surgeons in China transplanted a genetically modified pig liver into a brain-dead patient as an additional liver, where it functioned for 10 days. The pig had six genetic modifications to prevent immune rejection. The procedure raises hopes for using pig livers as a "bridging organ" for patients awaiting transplants.
