Pig Liver Saves Human Life for 171 Days in a World-First Surgery

In a groundbreaking first, doctors in China have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig liver into a 71-year-old man suffering from hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and a large liver tumor. The patient survived 171 days after the procedure, with the pig organ sustaining him for 38 days until his own liver regained function. This achievement, conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, represents the first peer-reviewed, documented case of a pig liver transplant in a human, a major leap in xenotransplantation - the transplantation of animal organs into humans.

Inside the Groundbreaking Surgery

The surgery, performed in May 2024, used a genetically modified 11-month-old pig whose liver carried ten precise gene edits designed to reduce infection and minimize immune rejection. The patient received immunosuppressive drugs to support acceptance of the organ. During the operation, surgeons removed the tumor and implanted the pig liver to supplement the patient’s failing native liver. Within 24 hours, the pig organ showed active bile drainage and significantly improved liver function markers. For several weeks, the blood flow remained stable, and there were no early signs of inflammation or acute rejection, indicating a highly functional graft.

Challenges and Clinical Insights

By day 25, the patient exhibited inflammatory changes and cardiac stress, likely due to a condition known as transplant-associated microangiopathy - where tiny clots damage small blood vessels. On day 38, the team removed the pig liver after the patient’s native liver recovered sufficient function to sustain life. Tragically, the patient passed away on day 171 from upper gastrointestinal bleeding, unrelated to the transplant or organ rejection. Experts believe this experiment proves that pig-to-human liver transplantation can serve as a temporary “bridge therapy” for patients awaiting donor livers or recovering from acute liver failure. Dr. Chen Xinyu, the lead surgeon, emphasized that this case provides vital data on immune responses, drug regimens, and surgical techniques essential for future trials.

A New Dawn for Organ Transplantation

The success of this transplant is being hailed as a turning point in transplant medicine, especially given the global shortage of human organs -with over 100,000 patients on waiting lists in the U.S. alone, including 9,000 awaiting liver transplants. European experts have expressed cautious optimism, noting that this development may redefine treatment possibilities for patients who cannot qualify for traditional transplants. Previous xenotransplantation trials had tested pig kidneys and hearts, but the liver’s complexity-due to its dual blood supply and crucial metabolic roles-made this success particularly remarkable. Earlier efforts involving perfused pig livers and transplants into brain-dead patients hinted at feasibility, but this is the first successful functional transplant in a living human.

Paving the Way for Future Medical Breakthroughs

This case demonstrates that genetically engineered animal organs could revolutionize treatment for end-stage organ failure. Researchers hope that future xenotransplantation models will become a bridge-to-recovery or bridge-to-transplant option for critical patients. The findings shed light on gene editing’s potential to make animal organs compatible with humans, reducing immune rejection risks and addressing the global organ shortage crisis. Experts caution, however, that ethical, safety, and long-term immunological challenges must still be addressed before such transplants become mainstream. As one of the most daring feats in modern medicine, this pig liver transplant not only extended a human life but also opened a new frontier in organ replacement science-restoring hope for thousands awaiting a second chance at life.Source-Medindia