Towana Looney, a 53-year-old mother of two and grandmother of two from Alabama, has undergone an experimental pig kidney transplant that could potentially change the lives of thousands of people worldwide. The procedure involves using organs from pigs to provide an alternative for those who die waiting for human organs or never make it to the list.
Looney had been on dialysis for eight years and had failed to find a human donor match, leaving her with only one option: a pig kidney transplant. After months of preparation and surgery, Looney is now recovering at NYU Langone Health in New York City, where she undergoes daily health checks and monitoring.
Her surgeon, Dr. Robert Montgomery, believes that Looney has the best chance of long-term survival due to her relatively healthy condition compared to previous recipients who died within two months after receiving pig organs. However, it is still unclear how long someone can live with a pig organ, and further research is needed to prove its effectiveness.
Xenotransplantation, the use of animal organs for transplantation into humans, has raised ethical concerns but may provide an alternative solution for millions of people worldwide. The procedure involves altering genes in pigs to make their organs more compatible with the human body, adding human genes to prevent rejection and inflammation.
Looney’s story offers hope to those who have exhausted all other options, and her surgeon is optimistic that future clinical trials will provide the necessary data to determine the safety and effectiveness of xenotransplantation. With the potential for this procedure to change the math of end-organ failure and increase the likelihood of survival, Looney’s journey may pave the way for a new era in organ transplantation.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/12/17/pig-kidney-transplant-risk/77032551007