In a groundbreaking medical study, surgeons at Penn Medicine have announced a major milestone in organ transplantation. They have successfully connected a genetically modified pig liver to the body of a recently deceased human, showcasing the potential feasibility of using pig organs for living patients.

The liver used in this experiment was from a pig specially bred and genetically modified to prevent rejection by the human immune system. The precision gene-editing technique called CRISPR was employed to modify the pig's genome, making it compatible with the recipient's body.

The procedure was performed on a person who had been declared brain-dead but retained oxygen circulation through a ventilator. While this recipient was not a living patient, the connection between the pig liver and the circulatory system served as a valid test for future applications.

Lead surgeon Dr. Abraham Shaked described the outcome as "amazing" – the pig liver was fully functional once connected. Similar experiments have been conducted with pig hearts, extending the lives of severely ill patients by a month or two. However, the complexity of liver transplantation has posed greater challenges.

The initial stage of this procedure involved connecting the pig liver to the deceased person's circulatory system using an external machine. Though not a direct organ transplant, this intermediate step could serve as a temporary solution, allowing critically ill patients to bridge the wait for a suitable human organ or for their own liver to recover.

Experts not involved in the study have noted the significance of this achievement. Dr. Jayme Locke, director of the transplant center at the University of Alabama, likened it to "dialysis for the liver" and considered it a valuable first step. The external pig liver could potentially buy time for patients with life-threatening conditions.

The genetically modified pig was specially raised by eGenesis, a biotech firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The pig was a Yucatan mini breed, ensuring its organs were relatively comparable in size to human organs. Seventy modifications were made to its genome to minimize immune system rejection and eliminate viral DNA risks.

The Gift of Life Donor Program, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, played a crucial role in facilitating this study. They identified a family who consented to donate the body for research purposes, granting the Penn Medicine team access to the pig liver at the eGenesis facility.

During the transportation of the pig liver from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, its function was maintained by connecting it to a machine developed by OrganOx, a company based in Oxford, England. The liver remained intact and without signs of inflammation or issues during the three-day monitoring period.

The next step for the Penn team is to repeat the pig liver procedure using additional donors. They aim to evaluate how effectively the pig liver filters toxins from the human bloodstream. Consent from more donor families will be sought, with a focus on cases where immediate transplantation is not possible.

The ultimate goal of this groundbreaking study is to address the chronic shortage of human organs available for transplantation. In 2023, over 900 individuals lost their lives while awaiting a liver transplant in the United States. By exploring the potential of genetically modified pig organs, researchers hope to offer a partial solution to this crisis in the future.

The findings of this study mark a significant step forward in the field of organ transplantation. Through innovative techniques and the collaboration of medical institutions and biotech companies, the paradigm of liver transplants could soon be revolutionized, saving countless lives and providing hope for patients in need.