Short Wave The First Woman To Get A New Kind Of Kidney Transplant
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Dec 20, 2024 Rob Stein, NPR's health correspondent, shares the groundbreaking story of Tawana Looney, the first person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney. Tawana, a resilient grandmother from Alabama, had been on dialysis for years before this pioneering transplant. Stein was present in the operating room, providing an exclusive look at the procedure. They discuss the ethical controversies surrounding animal organ transplants and the potential for this innovation to address the severe shortage of human donors. Tawana's inspiring recovery highlights hope in this medical frontier.
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Cloned Pig Farm
- Rob Stein visited a Revivicor farm in Virginia that breeds genetically modified pigs for organ transplants.
- These pigs have 10 genetic modifications to prevent organ rejection and other complications.
Organ Shortage Problem
- Xenotransplantation aims to address the organ shortage, with over 100,000 people on the waiting list in the U.S..
- 17 people die daily due to this shortage.
First Pig Kidney Transplant
- Tawana Looney, a 53-year-old grandmother, became the first living person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney.
- She had been on dialysis for almost a decade before the surgery.