By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) - A patient in the US state of New Hampshire who lived a record 271 days with a genetically modified pig kidney has had the organ removed and will return to dialysis, according to CNN.
Tim Andrews, 67, underwent the groundbreaking transplant in January, but doctors at Mass General Brigham removed the kidney last Thursday after it began to lose function.
He was the fourth person in the US to receive a kidney from a genetically-engineered pig, designed to reduce the risk of rejection and other complications.
Andrews, who has lived with diabetes since the 1990s, was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease about three years ago. Although dialysis kept him alive, it was exhausting. He spent six hours on a machine three times a week and spent his off days mostly sleeping before beginning the cycle again.
Aware of the risks involved in a xenotransplant, which is the transplantation of an animal organ into a human, Andrews said he was willing to take the chance if it meant staying off dialysis and advancing medical knowledge for others with kidney disease.
In the CNN documentary Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Animal Pharm, Andrews told Gupta that the kidney made him feel renewed and full of energy.
“I was alive, and I hadn’t been in a long time,” Andrews said, describing the transplant as “a miracle."
“I had the honor of meeting Tim earlier this year, and his positivity and energy were unwavering,” Gupta said Monday. “He was so committed to the idea of his transplant experience furthering our understanding of xenotransplant and helping patients like himself. His willingness to undergo this procedure and be part of medical history now will no doubt be felt by the thousands of future patients with kidney failure. He is a true pioneer," he added.