China performs world’s first pig liver transplant into a human

China performs world’s first pig liver transplant into a human

Chinese scientists have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig liver into a living human for the first time in history.
The recipient was a 71-year-old man suffering from cirrhosis caused by hepatitis and liver cancer. The pig liver was implanted as an auxiliary organ.

After the transplant, the organ functioned stably for 38 days without being rejected by the body. However, on the 38th day, the patient developed vascular complications and an immune response — thrombotic microangiopathy — which led to gastrointestinal bleeding and his death.

Despite this, researchers described the experiment as a successful breakthrough.

According to the World Health Organization, thousands of patients die every year due to the shortage of donor organs.