Pig Kidney Keeps Man Alive For 271 Days Before Human Transplant
A genetically modified pig kidney kept 66-year-old Tim Andrews off dialysis for 271 days, setting a new record for kidney xenotransplantation. The experimental transplant was performed in January 2025 after Andrews faced a long wait for a human kidney. The pig organ eventually failed, but he later received a human donor kidney that is currently functioning well.
How Did A Pig Kidney Keep A Human Patient Alive For 271 Days?
Tim Andrews received the experimental transplant after living with end-stage kidney disease caused by type 2 diabetes. At the time, he faced a human kidney waiting list estimated at around seven years, while his doctors were also concerned about the long-term burden of dialysis. On 25 January 2025, surgeons transplanted a kidney from a genetically modified Yucatan miniature pig into his body. The organ functioned for 271 days, allowing Andrews to spend months away from regular dialysis. That period set a new record for kidney xenotransplantation in a living human patient.
Why Was The Pig Kidney Genetically Modified?
The donor pig carried 69 genomic modifications designed to make its kidney more compatible with a human immune system. These changes removed or altered biological features that could trigger rapid rejection and also disabled certain viruses hidden in the pig’s DNA. Doctors still had to manage early signs of rejection by adjusting Andrews’ medication, showing that the procedure remained highly experimental. Around six months after surgery, however, blood vessel damage developed inside the transplanted kidney. That damage caused inflammation and eventually led to organ failure in October.
What Happened After The Pig Kidney Failed?
After doctors removed the pig kidney, Andrews returned to dialysis for 82 days while waiting for another transplant. He later received a human donor kidney in January, and that organ was reported to be working well. Researchers say the case shows both the potential and the limits of xenotransplantation. The approach could one day act as a bridge for patients who cannot quickly receive a human organ, especially during severe donor shortages. However, the failure of Andrews’ pig kidney also shows that rejection, vascular damage and long-term organ survival remain major challenges.
Key Facts
What happened: A genetically modified pig kidney functioned in a human patient for 271 days, setting a new record for xenotransplantation.
Who is involved: Tim Andrews, 66, who had end-stage kidney disease caused by type 2 diabetes, and the medical team at Mass General Brigham.
Where: The experimental surgery was carried out at Mass General Brigham in the United States.
When: The pig kidney was transplanted on 25 January 2025 and later failed in October. Andrews received a human donor kidney the following January.
Current status: The pig kidney was removed after it failed. Andrews later received a human donor kidney, which was reported to be functioning well.
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Sources
Primary research: Findings published in The Lancet on clinical kidney xenotransplantation.
Medical institution: Mass General Brigham.
Secondary source: BBC.COM
Published: 7 September 2026.
Additional reporting cited: BBC.
Patient: Tim Andrews, 66.
Status: The genetically modified pig kidney functioned for 271 days before failing. Andrews later received a human donor kidney, which was reported to be functioning well.
Original report: BBC.COM
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By – Tarziman — 04:49PM
An independent writer who enjoys finding interesting angles in everyday stories. He believes even the simplest moments can be worth sharing when they’re told in a clear, relaxed and easy-to-understand way.
