Chinese researchers have carried out the world's first transplant of two pig kidneys and a pig liver into a 53-year-old brain-dead man at the same time, marking an important step forward in xenotransplantation.
The surgery was conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University in Nanning, China, under the leadership of surgeon and researcher Xuyong Sun. The findings were later published in the medical journal Med.
Before his death, the man had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and had suffered a brain hemorrhage. After he was declared brain-dead, with permission from his family, doctors kept his body functioning artificially so they could test the pig organs.
According to the researchers, the transplanted pig liver began working within 19 hours of the surgery and started producing bile, a fluid that helps digestion. The pig kidneys also appeared to function well, as the patient's creatinine and urea levels, key indicators of kidney health, returned to normal.
Doctors reported no signs of organ rejection during the first 24 hours after the transplant. However, after about 36 hours, some problems began to appear, including tissue damage in parts of the liver and changes in blood clotting. Despite these issues, the transplanted organs continued to work until the experiment ended five days later at the request of the patient's family.
Notably, the pig used in the transplant had undergone six genetic modifications. Scientists removed three pig genes and added three human genes to reduce the risk of organ rejection and improve compatibility with the human body.
Researchers also found high levels of a type of immune cell known as S100A12+ cells, which are linked to inflammation. They believe this discovery could help scientists develop more targeted treatments in the future to reduce organ rejection in xenotransplants.
While the results are encouraging, researchers say much more work is needed before pig organs can be safely transplanted into living patients. The study showed that multiple pig organs can function inside a human body for at least a short period, but further research will be required to determine whether this approach can become a practical solution.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com