A man who received a pig kidney transplant a year ago received a human organ

On the night of January 12, Andrews was informed that an almost perfect human donor organ had been found. The very next morning, at 8:00, he underwent a kidney transplant operation.

Just days after surgery, Andrews is preparing to be discharged and return home. His story is a clear demonstration of the potential of xenotransplantation, a technology that can save lives and potentially help solve the problem of donor organ shortages. The essence of the method is the transplantation of animal organs, primarily pigs, genetically modified to reduce the risk of rejection and adaptation to the human body.

Before the surgeries, Andrews received dialysis three times a week for six hours. Six months after starting this therapy, he suffered a heart attack. Before transplanting a human kidney, doctors carefully checked his body for the presence of antibodies that could cause rejection, but did not reveal any dangerous reactions. The operation itself lasted about three hours, and the volume of immunosuppressive drugs was approximately three times less than during life with a pig kidney. After his first xenotransplantation, Andrews immediately felt changes. According to him, the “dialysis veil” has disappeared: constant fatigue and fogginess have gone, energy and clarity of thinking have appeared.

However, the path was not easy. To keep the pig kidney, which he named Wilma, working and keep his immune system in check, Andrews had to take up to 52 pills a day. Nine months later there were signs of rejection and he suffered two infections. Despite adjustments to the immunosuppression regimen, organ damage could not be stopped.

But the biopsies and studies carried out allowed doctors to better understand the causes of rejection, which could play an important role for future patients. Andrews’ experience helped refine treatment protocols, and since his surgery in January 2025, Mass General and eGenesis have performed two more xenotransplantations. In the near future, experts plan to move on to clinical trials of this technology.