A pioneering study from a team of Chinese researchers, recently published in the Journal of Hepatology, has demonstrated the potential of xenotransplantation in addressing the shortage of donor livers. The report details an auxiliary liver xenotransplant using a genetically engineered pig graft that sustained a human patient for 171 days — the longest documented survival following such a procedure. China faces a major gap between the number of patients with liver failure and the availability of donor organs, with only a fraction of those in need receiving transplants each year.
This case marks a significant proof-of-concept for using modified porcine organs as temporary or supportive options when human livers are unavailable. The recipient, a 71-year-old man with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, was deemed unsuitable for both surgical resection and…
