Today, Explained The man with a pig kidney
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Apr 9, 2024 
In this discussion, Dylan Matthews, a senior correspondent at Vox and author of "Why I Gave My Kidney to a Stranger and Why You Should Consider Doing It Too," delves into the groundbreaking transplant of a pig kidney into a human. He highlights the ethical concerns about using animal organs and advocates for human kidney donations instead. Matthews shares his personal journey of living with one kidney, emphasizing the emotional and physical aspects of donation, and exploring alternatives to alleviate organ shortages.
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Pig Organs in Humans
- The podcast discusses the first successful pig kidney transplant into a living human, Rick Sleiman.
- This follows a previous episode about a man receiving a pig heart.
Why Pig Kidneys?
- Scientists have been working on transplanting pig kidneys into humans for years.
- Pigs are biologically similar to humans and readily available, making them a good organ source.
Brain-Dead Studies
- Prior to Rick Sleiman, pig kidneys were transplanted into brain-dead patients to study the process.
- Sleiman's successful transplant marks a significant step as he is the first living, non-brain-dead recipient.