American surgeons have successfully transplanted a heart from a genetically modified pig into a human. The University of Maryland reported Monday that this is the first of its kind in the world.
The operation took place on Friday. It was proven for the first time that the pig’s heart can continue to function in the human body without being rejected immediately, the statement said. This procedure gives hope to hundreds of thousands of patients with organ dysfunction.
According to the New York Times, the heart was transplanted into a 57-year-old man who had a life-threatening heart condition. Doctors said the operation took eight hours and the man was in good health on Monday. The man risked the operation because he died without a new heart anyway.
“It creates a heartbeat, it creates pressure, it’s a heart,” said Bartley Griffith, head of the heart transplant program, who performed the surgery. “It works and looks normal. We are very happy, but we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. It has never been done before.”
In the United States, as in other countries, there is an acute shortage of transplantable organs and dozens of people die every day on the waiting list. Last year, 3,817 Americans received new hearts in the United States. This is the highest number ever, but demand is still higher.
So scientists have worked hard to develop pigs whose organs the human body does not reject. Research has been accelerated over the past decade by new techniques around editing, cloning and genetics. A few months ago, surgeons in New York also succeeded in stitching a kidney from a genetically modified pig into the body of a brain-dead person.
The operation took place on Friday. It was proven for the first time that the pig’s heart can continue to function in the human body without being rejected immediately, the statement said. This procedure gives hope to hundreds of thousands of patients with organ dysfunction. According to the New York Times, the heart was transplanted into a 57-year-old man who had a life-threatening heart condition. Doctors said the operation took eight hours and the man was in good health on Monday. The man risked the operation because he died without a new heart anyway. “It creates a heartbeat, it creates pressure, it’s a heart,” said Bartley Griffith, head of the heart transplant program, who performed the surgery. “It works and looks normal. We are very happy, but we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. It has never been done before.” In the United States, as in other countries, there is an acute shortage of transplantable organs and dozens of people die every day on the waiting list.Last year, 3,817 Americans received new hearts in the U.S. This is the highest number ever, but the demand Still higher.So scientists have worked hard to develop pigs whose organs the human body does not reject.Research has been accelerated over the past decade by new technologies around editing,cloning and genetics.A few months ago,surgeons in New York also succeeded in sewing a kidney from a genetically modified pig into The body of a brain dead person.
