Transplanted pig kidney functions for a week in brain dead patient

 Here's a report on a kidney from a genetically engineered pig, that was transplanted into a brain dead patient maintained on a ventilator, and which functioned successfully for seven days.  I'm beginning to think it's possible that xenotransplants of pig kidneys may be available for living patients in my lifetime.

Locke JE, Kumar V, Anderson D, Porrett PM. Normal Graft Function After Pig-to-Human Kidney Xenotransplant. JAMA Surg. Published online August 16, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2023.2774

"Thirty-seven million adults in the US have chronic kidney disease (CKD), many of whom will ultimately progress to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Kidney transplant is the gold-standard therapy for patients with ESKD, yet annually, only 25 000 individuals receive a kidney. The gap between supply and demand is so vast that 40% of listed patients die within 5 years while waiting for a kidney transplant. Although xenotransplant represents 1 potential solution for the kidney shortage, previous reports of pig-to-human kidney xenotransplant using a preclinical human brain death model have shown xenograft urine production but not creatinine clearance, a necessary function to sustain life.1,2 Thus, no study to date has shown the ability of a xenograft to provide life-sustaining kidney function in a human.

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"Discussion | The findings from this case series show that pigto-human xenotransplant provided life-sustaining kidney function in a deceased human with CKD. Future research in living human recipients is necessary to determine long-term xenograft kidney function and whether xenografts could serve as a bridge or destination therapy for ESKD. Because our study represents a single case, generalizability of the findings is limited. This study showcases xenotransplant as a viable potential solution to an organ shortage crisis responsible for thousands of preventable deaths annually."