Medical milestone: Patient lives 271 days with pig kidney before receiving human transplant
In a significant breakthrough for modern medicine, Tim Andrews, a 66-year-old patient, managed to survive for 271 days thanks to a genetically modified pig kidney. This procedure, performed at Massachusetts General Hospital, represents a crucial step in the search for solutions to the global crisis of organ shortages for transplants.
Andrews, who had been dependent on dialysis for two years due to kidney failure, underwent the procedure in January 2025. During the nine months that the porcine organ remained active, the patient was able to forgo dialysis, marking the longest period recorded to date for a xenotransplant of this type.
Genetic technology at the service of health
The organ, developed by the firm eGenesis, underwent 69 precise genetic modifications to ensure its compatibility with the human body. The scientific team worked on several key lines:
- Elimination of factors that cause immediate rejection upon contact with human blood.
- Incorporation of human genes to regulate inflammation, coagulation, and the immune response.
- Deactivation of porcine endogenous retroviruses to eliminate infection risks.
After the surgery, the kidney demonstrated immediate functionality, producing up to five liters of urine daily during the first week, which granted Andrews a vital autonomy he had not experienced since the onset of his illness.
Xenotransplants could function as an effective bridge to keep patients alive while they wait for a human organ, eventually transforming into a definitive treatment for organ failure.
Leonardo Riella, medical director of the kidney transplant program at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Challenges and definitive recovery
Despite the initial success, the process faced complications. Two weeks after the operation, the body began to show signs of rejection that were controlled with immunosuppressants. However, months later, a bacterial infection forced a reduction in medication, causing inflammation in the organ’s blood vessels that led to clots. At 271 days, doctors determined that the damage was irreversible and removed the animal kidney.
Andrews’ story had a positive outcome: two months after the removal, he received a compatible human kidney. Seven months after this second transplant, the patient remains stable and the new organ is functioning correctly, with no trace of complications derived from his previous experience with the animal transplant.
Although the specialists at Alofoke Deportes emphasize that this is an experimental study limited to a single case, the success of this biological “bridge” opens a door of hope to drastically reduce the waiting list of patients awaiting a vital transplant.
