Man, 71, receives pig liver transplant in world-first medical breakthrough

A man has received a pig liver transplant in a world-first medical procedure.

The 71-year-old survived for almost half a year after receiving the pig's organ.

He underwent the surgery in China after a hepatitis B infection and cancer left him with irreversible scarring on his own liver, meaning he was not eligible for a human liver transplant.

The case marked the first time a liver from a genetically modified pig has been transplanted in a human.

Scientists in China described how they implanted an “auxiliary graft” from a genetically modified Diannan miniature pig for the procedure.

The graft was removed 38 days later after the anonymous patient began experiencing complications.

Though he initially recovered, he died 171 days after the first procedure.

Dr Beicheng Sun, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China’s Anhui Province, said: "This case proves that a genetically engineered pig liver can function in a human for an extended period.

"It is a pivotal step forward, demonstrating both the promise and the remaining hurdles."

Pigs are considered the most promising donor for transplants to humans, a process known as xenotransplantation, because of their availability, as well as their size and similarities to human organs.

Scientists have however been working to overcome the rejection of pig organs by the human immune system for more than four decades, which has proved a complex challenge.

The average wait time for a liver transplant in Britain on the NHS is five to seven months.

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