How a pig heart was transplanted into a human for the first time

[dalton99a]

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2304167-how-a-pig-heart-was-transplanted-into-a-human-for-the-first-time/

How a pig heart was transplanted into a human for the first time
The first transplant of a pig heart genetically modified for acceptance into human bodies raises hopes for a new solution to donor organ shortages
11 January 2022
By Clare Wilson

FOR the first time, a human has been given a transplant of a pig’s heart. David Bennett, 57, had the operation in Baltimore, Maryland, on 7 January using a heart that had been genetically modified to boost the chances of acceptance in a human body.

The donated heart came from a pig developed by US firm Revivicor. In total, the animal had 10 genes modified. Four of those were inactivated, including one that causes an aggressive immune response and one that would otherwise cause the pig’s heart to continue growing after transplant into a human body.

To further increase the chances of acceptance, the donor pig had six human genes inserted into its genome and Bennett is taking immune-suppressing medications. As this story went to press, Bennett was coping well with the new heart, but hadn’t yet been taken off a heart-lung bypass machine supporting its function. His medical team told The New York Times that the animal heart was doing most of the work and that, so far, the heart “looks normal”.

There have been fears that virus genes naturally found in pig DNA could cross to humans, but these have faded after successful transplants of pig pancreas cells into people with diabetes. No such problems have arisen with transplants of whole pig organs into primates either. Still, it is likely that Bennett’s doctors are closely monitoring him to check for this possibility, says Anthony Warrens at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the work.


Surgeons prepare genetically engineered pig heart for transplant - University of Maryland School of Medicine

[DURHAM D]

1. On tv they said that this guy was not eligible to be on the transplant list or

get a mechanical heart. Why would someone not be able to go on the transplant list?

[dalton99a]

2. His medical condition

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/transplant/referring-physicians/heart-transplant-criteria.html

Heart Transplant Patient Selection Criteria
Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

Absolute contraindications for adults and children include, but may not be limited to:

Major systemic disease
Age inappropriateness (70 years of age)
Cancer in the last 5 years except localized skin (not melanoma) or stage I breast or prostate
Active smoker (less than 6 months since quitting)
Active substance abuse
HIV
Severe local or systemic infection
Severe neurologic deficits
Major psychiatric illness or active substance abuse that cannot be managed sufficiently to allow post-transplant care and safety

Relative Contraindications

Relative contraindications for adults and children include, but may not be limited to:

Severe pulmonary hypertension with PAS > 60 mm Hg, TPG > 15 mm Hg, PVR > 3.5 Wood Units irreversible with milrinone
Pulmonary dysfunction with FVC and FEV1 < 40% predicted especially with intrinsic lung disease on imaging
Acute pulmonary thromboembolism
Morbid obesity (>140% Ideal body weight. For males, 106 lbs. for first 5 ft of height then 6 lbs. for each additional inch. For women, 100 lbs. for first 5 feet of height then 5 lbs. for each additional inch)
Irreversible hepatic dysfunction with bilirubin > 2.5 mg/dL and/or transaminases > 2 x normal, or cirrhosis on biopsy
Irreversible renal dysfunction with creatinine clearance < 40-50 mL/min or ERPF < 200 mL/min (Effective Renal Plasma Flow)
Documented severe peripheral or cerebrovascular disease
Coexisting neoplasm or history of neoplasm other than skin within 5 years
Insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus with end-organ damage
Active peptic ulcer disease
Current or recent diverticulitis
Cachexia
Inability to make a strong commitment to transplantation
Absence of adequate external psychosocial supports for either short-term or long-term basis

[Hekate]

6. Why not? Because he was already too sick & close to death....

Organs are very scarce. I’ve carried an organ donor card since probably 1971, on the basis that any leftover bits should be used to help others when I’m done with them. But not everyone feels that way, and not every body’s parts can be used.

Anyway, kidneys, lungs, livers, and hearts are scarce. The surgery is really arduous — for the doctors as well as the patients. It is hugely expensive. Patients have to comply with a whole lot of stuff before the surgery and then for the rest of their lives afterward. There are medical panels and medical ethicists involved. Not every sick person is a good candidate — some because of their behavior and some because their chances of survival are already way too low. Do you want to almost-guarantee wasting a precious resource, or use it in a person with better chance of survival?

[luv2fly]

3. Must suck to be the pig

That was "developed."

[avebury]

4. Agreed

[Lucid Dreamer]

5. Probably better than being invited to a BBQ. nt

[Big Blue Marble]

7. Not really. N/T

[Big Blue Marble]

9. Yes, especially when we understand how intelligent pigs are. N/T

[luv2fly]

10. Absolutely

There are ethical issues here though i suspect many would never view this in that light.

[unweird]

8. I thought this was another Ted Cruz posting

But now I see that it was about a four-legged, genetically modified pig. My mistake.