A 53-year-old woman from Alabama with kidney failure, who waited eight years for a transplant, has received a kidney taken from a genetically modified pig, according to surgeons at NYU Langone Health. The patient, Towana Looney, underwent surgery just before Thanksgiving. She was healthier than other recipients of porcine organs so far and was discharged from the hospital 11 days after the surgery. However, Ms. Looney returned on Friday for several intravenous infusion treatments. Before the transplant, she had high antibody levels that made it challenging to find a suitable human kidney donor. The transplant community will monitor this case closely, as a successful outcome could accelerate the start of a clinical trial, moving pig transplants closer to becoming a reality and addressing the organ supply shortage. Since the procedure, Ms. Looney has not needed dialysis, and doctors report that her long-term high blood pressure is now under control. The kidney began producing urine even before she was awake from surgery, and blood tests indicate it is effectively clearing creatinine, a waste product, from her system. If you’re in Reader mode, please leave and sign into your Times account or subscribe to access all of The Times. We appreciate your patience while we confirm your access. Are you already a subscriber? Sign in.. Do you want access to all of The Times? Înscrie-te.
