US Surgeons Transplant Genetically Modified Pig Kidney to Aid Kidney Failure Patient

Houston — The NYU Langone Health Institute revealed that US surgeons have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a 53-year-old woman from Alabama. The procedure has significantly improved her health, allowing her to discontinue dialysis, marking a breakthrough in addressing the organ shortage crisis.

Tawana Looney, who donated a kidney to her mother in 1999, later developed kidney failure due to pregnancy-related complications, which caused severe hypertension. On Nov. 25, after eight years on dialysis, Looney underwent a seven-hour transplant surgery.

Looney expressed gratitude, stating she feels like she has been given a second chance at life. She looks forward to traveling and spending quality time with her family and grandchildren. Doctors expect her to return home within three months. However, if the pig kidney fails, she can resume dialysis.

According to the institute, Looney's surgery marks the third live-human transplant involving a genetically modified pig kidney. She is also the first person to receive a pig kidney modified with 10 genetic edits and remains the only individual globally living with a pig organ today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over one in seven US adults—or approximately 35.5 million people—suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that nearly 808,000 of these cases are end-stage CKD. Yet, only about 27,000 kidney transplants were performed in 2023.
 

Sources:

- Xinhua

- ArokaGO Health Library: Acute Kidney Failure Symptoms