PIG KIDNEY TRANSPLANT HELPS US MAN AVOID DIALYSIS FOR NINE MONTHS

A genetically modified pig kidney functioned inside a 66-year-old US man for 271 days, setting a new record for the longest period a pig kidney has worked in a human body.

Tim Andrews received the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in January 2025 after developing end-stage kidney disease linked to type 2 diabetes.

The transplant allowed Andrews to live without dialysis while he waited for a human donor kidney.

According to the report, the genetically modified pig kidney began functioning immediately after transplantation and continued to work for 271 days before doctors removed it in October 2025.

Andrews spent the following 82 days on dialysis before receiving a human donor kidney in January 2026. Doctors said the human kidney has been functioning well.

The pig donor had undergone extensive genetic modifications to make its organs more compatible with the human body, reduce the risk of immune rejection and address potential infections from pig DNA.

Doctors said the transplanted kidney initially showed signs of rejection, but the reaction was treated successfully by adjusting Andrews’ medication.

After about six months, however, the kidney’s blood vessels became damaged, causing inflammation and eventual failure. Doctors said there were no signs of antibody attacks, leaving the exact cause of the failure unclear.

Dr Leonardo Riella of the Mass General Brigham Centre for Transplantation Sciences said the shortage of human organs remained a major challenge and that xenotransplantation could provide an alternative for patients without living donors.

Researchers hope genetically modified pig organs can eventually serve as temporary bridges for patients awaiting human donor organs, potentially helping them avoid prolonged periods of dialysis.

The case demonstrates both the potential of xenotransplantation and the challenges that researchers still need to overcome before animal-to-human organ transplants become widely available.