Scientists have dreamed for centuries about using animal organs to treat ailing humans. In recent years, those efforts have begun to bear fruit: Researchers have begun transplanting the hearts and kidneys of genetically modified pigs into patients, with varying degrees of success.
But lungs are notoriously difficult to transplant, even from human to human, and mortality rates are high. Now, in the first procedure of its kind, Chinese scientists on Monday reported transplanting a lung from a pig into a brain-dead man.
The organ sustained damage after it was transplanted but functioned to some degree, scientists at Guangzhou Medical University reported in the journal Nature Medicine. The organ was removed after nine days.
American scientists called the procedure exciting but urged caution.
“It’s very promising and a great first step, but there is a lot more work to do to make this feasible,” said Dr. Stephanie Chang, an associate professor in cardiothoracic surgery at N.Y.U. Grossman School of Medicine and surgical director for the lung transplant program.
“If there is a way to actually source organs from animals and have them work in genetically modified ways, that would be very exciting,” she said.
While dialysis can help people with kidney failure, “there’s not much that can replace your lungs,” Dr. Chang added.
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