‘POTENTIAL MIRACLE’, SAY U.S SURGEONS AS PIG KIDNEY WORKS FOR BRAIN DEAD PATIENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
The New York Times announced on October 19th that surgeons in New York have successfully transplanted a pig kidney into a human patient. In an experimental procedure on a brain-dead patient, for three days the organ was successfully implanted. It was the conclusion of years of research; scientists had long dreamed of xenotransplantation, in which animal organs are transplanted into humans. The successful transplant demonstrates both how far science has progressed and how far it still has to go in this procedure.
The kidney began operating and producing substantial amounts of urine within minutes of being linked to the person’s blood veins, according to Dr. Robert Montgomery, who headed the surgical team. He also mentioned that the creatinine level in the blood, which is cleansed by the kidney, went from 1.9 to 0.8, indicating that the kidney was working properly. Dr. Montgomery is the Director of NYU Langone Health’s Transplant Institute and Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health.
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
Doctors connected the kidney to blood vessels on the top of one of the patient’s legs so they could examine it and collect biopsy samples. According to reports, the patient had hoped to be an organ donor, and the family was first saddened when they learned that their loved one’s organs were not suitable. “They felt relieved,” he continued, “that this was another opportunity for the gift.” The patient was taken off the ventilator and died after 54 hours of testing.
This procedure of Xenotransplantation, or transferring organs across other species, could assist give an alternate and supplementary supply of organs for people with life-threatening conditions if it is shown to be compatible in the long term. The transplant, which took place on September 25, used a kidney from a pig that had been genetically modified to eliminate a gene that codes for the sugar molecule Alpha-gal. It’s a chemical that is not generally found in humans, yet it can cause a severe immunological reaction in humans.
The pigs with this gene change are known as GalSafe pigs, and they’ve been licensed by the FDA for human usage in people with pork allergies, as well as for use in pharmacology. These pigs have undergone extensive research and have passed several levels of a regulatory examination. Although monkey organs are more compatible with humans, pigs are easier to genetically manipulate, according to Dr. Montgomery. They also have larger litters, grow faster, and are less prone to infection transmission. Their organs are very similar in size to ours.
GLOBAL FACTS
The figures are startling on a global scale. Kidney failure affects an estimated 2 million individuals globally, and the number of patients diagnosed with the condition is growing at a pace of 5-7 percent every year. The countries with the greatest rates of organs failure include Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, the United States, and Belgium.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Currently, kidney failure patients have 2 options of treatment:
- Transplantation: live and deceased donor kidneys
- Dialysis: peritoneal or hemodialysis dialysis
TRANSPLANTATION MARKET GLOBALLY
The global transplantation market was valued at USD 8.4 billion in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5 percent projected for the forecast period. A major element driving market expansion is the rising need for innovative tissue transplantation products and organ transplantation for the treatment of organ failure. Organ failure can be caused by many things, including severe trauma, drug misuse, leukaemia, blood loss, poisoning, sepsis, and others.
The market is being boosted by the launch of technologically improved products and an increase in the number of tissue banks. However, several limitations, such as a scarcity of organ donors for transplantation, are projected to limit market expansion. The demand for organs for organ failure treatment is far greater than the supply, which can be linked to a variety of religious and traditional views, as well as a lack of awareness regarding organ donation.
