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+--- Thread: Pig Heart Transplant Dies: What You Need to Know (/thread-791.html)
Pig Heart Transplant Dies: What You Need to Know - PJ - 11-02-2023
On October 31, 2023, Lawrence Faucette, the second person to receive a genetically modified pig heart transplant, died six weeks after the experimental procedure. The University of Maryland Medical Center, where the surgery had been performed, said the heart began to show signs of rejection in recent days.
This news has been widely reported in the media, and it has sparked renewed interest in pig heart transplantation and other xenotransplantation procedures. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of organs, tissues, or cells from one species to another.
What is pig heart transplantation?
Pig heart transplantation is a type of xenotransplantation that involves transplanting a pig heart into a human. The goal of pig heart transplantation is to provide a new heart to patients with end-stage heart failure who are not eligible for a human heart transplant.
Why are pig hearts used for transplantation?
Pig hearts are used for transplantation because they are anatomically similar to human hearts and because pigs are relatively easy to breed and raise. In addition, pig hearts have been genetically modified to reduce the risk of rejection and infection.
What are the challenges of pig heart transplantation?
One of the biggest challenges of pig heart transplantation is the risk of rejection. The body's immune system may recognize the pig heart as a foreign object and attack it. To reduce the risk of rejection, patients who receive pig heart transplants must take powerful immunosuppressive drugs.
Another challenge of pig heart transplantation is the risk of infection. Pigs can carry viruses that can be transmitted to humans. To reduce the risk of infection, pig hearts are carefully screened for viruses before transplantation.
What are the latest developments in pig heart transplantation?
In January 2022, the University of Maryland Medical Center performed the world's first pig heart transplant in a living person. The patient, David Bennett, survived two months before the heart failed.
In September 2023, the University of Maryland Medical Center performed the world's second pig heart transplant in a living person. The patient, Lawrence Faucette, died six weeks after the procedure.
Despite the challenges, pig heart transplantation is a promising new therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. Researchers are continuing to work to improve the success rate of pig heart transplants and to reduce the risks of rejection and infection.