Surgeons at NYU Langone Health removed a genetically engineered pig's kidney from Alabama resident Towana Looney after 130 days due to acute organ rejection, the longest survival time for such a transplant. While initially promising, Ms. Looney's other medical issues may have affected her prognosis. Dr. Robert Montgomery emphasized that the procedure's outcome shouldn't be viewed as a setback for xenotransplantation, which he believes will evolve through gradual advancements rather than sudden breakthroughs, indicating a hopeful future for organ replacement research.
This is the longest one of these organs has lasted, he said in an interview, adding that Ms. Looney had other medical conditions that might have complicated her prognosis.
All this takes time, he said. This game is going to be won by incremental improvements, singles and doubles, not trying to swing for the fences and get a home run.
Further treatment of Ms. Looney might have salvaged the organ, but she and her medical team decided against it, Dr. Montgomery said.
Dr. Robert Montgomery, Ms. Looney's surgeon and the director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said that the so-called explant was not a setback for the field of xenotransplantation.
#xenotransplantation #genetically-engineered-organ #medical-research #organ-rejection #kidney-transplant
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