The Tenacious Test of Transplants: An Impressive Stunt by Surgeons

Animals have long been beloved by people. Whether domesticated as furry friends or owned for their production of staple farm foods, animals provide a broad range of benefits to civilizations worldwide. A recent groundbreaking event involving an animal put a group of Chinese surgeons on the map in the medical field. In the Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University in Guangzhou, China, a cohort of pioneering doctors successfully implanted a gene-edited pig lung into a human patient. While this radical intervention has become more prevalent, this particular surgery was the first of its kind.

The patient involved in this case was a 39 year old man suffering from intracranial brain hemorrhage. Upon observation from medical professionals, the man was declared brain-dead and became an instant candidate for the surgery. This surgery, termed a xenotransplantation, involves non-human animal organs being implanted into the human body to replace an impaired organ system and to execute its functions. In the case of this particular patient, the lung xenograft maintained viability inside the body for nine days. By providing oxygenation to tissues and removal of carbon dioxide, the pig lung functioned in great similarity to a human lung. Despite the effective function of the lung itself, the effect of this foreign organ on the patient’s immune system was catastrophic.

Seventy-two hours after surgery, the patient’s immune system began to initiate signs of antibody-mediated rejection of the pig lung. Antibody-mediated rejection is a phenomenon describing an immune response to the introduction of a transplanted organ. Typically, antibody-mediated rejection, or AMR, causes the body to produce antibodies which target and destroy the transplanted organ. In the case of the recipient of the pig lung, the xenotransplantation caused severe swelling of the extremities and bloodwork indicating a negative reaction of the immune system. To counter the threatening signs of organ rejection, immunosuppression medications such as rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, basiliximab, rituximab, eculizumab, and others were administered to the patient. Due to the continual display of organ rejection in the patient, the patient’s family opted for an end to the experiment and the removal of life supporting measures.

This unorthodox procedure presents a new opportunity for organ transplantation that may save many lives. Medical professionals can better realize the risks associated with this particular type of xenotransplantation and improve management of immunosuppression and infection prevention. While this intervention is not currently a standard solution, it offers valuable insight into how the human body functions and reacts to new organs. This case also shines a spotlight on medical innovations in China and facilitates dialogue in the medical community about ethical and effective interventions. While we do not know what lies ahead, we can be sure that there is always more to learn!

To learn more about the transplant, you can read on here