In Boston, doctors successfully transplanted a kidney from a genetically modified pig into a 62-year-old man who needed a new kidney, as reported by the New York Times.
If this accomplishment is successful, it could bring hope to people with kidney failure.
According to the New York Times report, the signs so far are positive.
Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, known as Mass General, have stated that the patient’s condition has been improving steadily since the surgery last weekend.
The patient, Mr. Richard ‘Rick’ Slayman of Weymouth, Mass., is doing well in recovery at MGH and is expected to be discharged soon, as indicated on the hospital’s website on Thursday.
Joren C. Madsen, MD, DPhil, Director of the MGH Transplant Center, expressed, “Today the real hero is the patient, Mr. Slayman, as the success of this pioneering surgery, once thought impossible, would not have been possible without his courage and willingness to venture into unexplored medical territory. As the global medical community celebrates this huge achievement, Mr. Slayman becomes a symbol of hope for numerous individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease and paves the way for a new era in organ transplantation.
The new kidney has already started producing urine, which is a promising sign of progress.
Slayman is currently moving around the hospital and could be released shortly.
Dr. Winfred Williams, an associate chief of the nephrology division at Mass General and the patient’s primary kidney doctor, stated that a new source of kidneys “could solve a persistent issue in the field — the insufficient access of minority patients to kidney transplants.”
Dr. Leonardo V. Riella, a medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General, suggested that the widespread use of genetically modified animal kidneys for transplantation could make dialysis unnecessary.
The transplant program was created by Mass General Brigham, the hospital’s parent organization.
More than 800,000 people in the United States have kidney failure and require dialysis to remove toxins from their bloodstream.
There is a high demand for transplanted kidneys, with over 100,000 people currently waiting to receive one from a living or deceased donor.
Furthermore, tens of millions of Americans have chronic kidney disease, which can lead to organ failure.
Although dialysis is essential for sustaining life, the most effective treatment is an organ transplant.
The Senate in Nigeria recently called on the Federal Government to expand the scope of the National Health Insurance Scheme to cover individuals with chronic kidney disease. Thursday, This resolution was made after Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central) presented a motion during Tuesday’s plenary.
According to Yar’Adua’s presentation, new data from the Nigerian Association of Nephrology shows that 25 million Nigerians are affected by renal illnesses.
Surgeons at the University of Maryland successfully performed heart transplants on two patients with heart disease, using hearts from genetically modified pigs.
Even though the organs were working well and no signs of rejection were observed, both patients, who had advanced disease, died soon after.
An innovative medical procedure occurred in Boston, where doctors effectively moved a kidney from a pig that was genetically modified into a 62-year-old man who required a transplant, according to a report by the New York Times. If the advancement is successful, it could provide hope to individuals with kidney failure. As per the New York Times […]
