Tag

Organ Transplantation

All articles tagged with #organ transplantation

health15 days ago•4 min saved

Transplanted Hearts Adopt Host’s Biological Age, Challenging Donor Age Limits

A new preprint study indicates that transplanted hearts rapidly adjust their biological age to match the recipient’s body, rather than retaining the donor’s age. This suggests that older donor hearts may be viable for younger recipients, potentially expanding the organ donor pool. The findings, based on mouse models and human biopsy data, show that the host’s systemic environment dictates the organ’s epigenetic aging markers, challenging current guidelines that prioritize younger donors.

via Nature|

#biological-aging #cardiology #epigenetics

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Engineered Pig Kidneys Demonstrate Early Success in Humans

Five patients at Massachusetts General Hospital have received pig kidneys grown in Yucatan miniature pigs engineered to reduce immune rejection. In three cases the kidneys functioned for more than eight months without rejection or dialysis; one patient later required a human donor kidney, but the pig-kidney period did not hinder overall transplant success. The trials are aimed at addressing the organ shortage and could serve as a bridge or destination therapy if long‑term safety is proven. The FDA has authorised an expanded trial of 33 patients across up to 10 US centers to begin next year, with plans to broaden to Japan and move toward marketing approval by 2029.

via ft.com|

#biotechnology #health #organ-transplantation

science1 month ago•12 min saved

Wood frog’s freeze-thaw trick guides long‑term organ preservation

A North American wood frog survives winter by freezing 65–70% of its body water and stopping its heart and breathing, then thawing in spring. Researchers are translating this into organ preservation strategies, using frog-inspired steps like controlled ice formation and a glucose-based antifreeze to extend storage windows. Notably, five human livers have been kept viable for 27 hours at -4°C, and pig kidneys were preserved for 10 days in demonstration work, with thawing remaining the key hurdle. The goal is to move organ storage from hours to days by reproducing the frog’s protective sequence in human tissues.

via Space Daily|

#biopreservation #cryopreservation #organ-transplantation

politics3 months ago•26 min saved

Putin’s Longevity Gamble: $26B, Pigs, and Cryo Chambers

Vox analyzes Vladimir Putin’s $26 billion longevity program, detailing plans to replace organs with lab-made tissues and genetically engineered mini pigs, plus the use of cryo chambers, all spearheaded by Putin and his inner circle (including his daughter Maria Vorontsova). The piece frames how Russia’s autocratic system is funding a quest to extend life amid demographic decline and ongoing war, a bold but uncertain pursuit with broad implications for power and public health.

via vox.com|

#3d-printing #longevity #organ-transplantation

health5 months ago•3 min saved

Trial Suggests Liver Transplants Could Free Recipients From Lifelong Immunosuppressants

A small University of Pittsburgh study tested donor-derived regulatory dendritic cell therapy to train recipients’ immune systems to accept a transplanted liver. Among 13 living-donor liver recipients, cells were given before transplant and patients remained on standard immunosuppressants for a year; eight were weaned off, with four stopping entirely and three staying drug-free for about three years on average. The trial raised the drug-free success rate to 37.5% from the typical 13–16%, but researchers caution that results are early and require larger, comparative studies to confirm effectiveness and optimize treatment.

via Gizmodo|

#clinical-trial #health #immunology

health1 year ago•4 min saved

Enzyme Technology Converts Kidneys to Universal Donors for Transplantation

Scientists successfully converted a type-A kidney into a universal type-O kidney using an enzyme technique and transplanted it into a brain-dead recipient, demonstrating potential to increase organ availability and reduce waiting times, although the process is still in early development stages.

via Live Science|

#blood-type-conversion #eco-kidney #health

health1 year ago•2 min saved

First Successful Pig-to-Human Lung Transplant Using Gene-Edited Organs

A groundbreaking medical procedure in China successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig lung into a human, marking the first such case and demonstrating potential for future organ transplants from animals to humans, with the lung surviving nine days without rejection or infection.

via Nature|

#genetically-modified-pigs #health #medical-breakthrough

health1 year ago•1 min saved

Israeli hospital pioneers lab-grown kidneys lasting 34 weeks

An Israeli hospital, in collaboration with Tel Aviv University, has developed a lab-grown kidney organoid that survived for over 34 weeks, marking a significant advancement in regenerative medicine and offering potential for modeling kidney disease and repairing injured kidneys, though clinical application will require more research.

via Times of India|

#health #kidney-disease #lab-grown-kidneys

science1 year ago•1 min saved

First Successful Genetically Modified Pig Lung Transplant into Brain-Dead Human

Scientists in China successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig's lung into a brain-dead human, marking the first such procedure, though the organ was damaged and removed after nine days, highlighting both progress and challenges in xenotransplantation.

via The New York Times|

#genetically-modified-pig #lung-transplant #medical-breakthrough

health1 year ago•8 min saved

Redefining Death: Doctors' New Perspectives

The article discusses the evolving and controversial definitions of death, focusing on the expansion from traditional heart and lung cessation to including 'irreversibly comatose' patients on life support, driven by organ transplantation needs and ethical debates about when death truly occurs.

via The Free Press|

#brain-death #death #health

health1 year ago•3 min saved

Swiss Man Regains Hands After 17 Years with Double Transplant

A Swiss man, Luka Kriszanac, who lost his hands and legs at age 12 due to sepsis, successfully received a double hand transplant at Penn Medicine after a 17-year wait, demonstrating a significant medical breakthrough in vascularized composite allotransplantation and highlighting the lifelong relationship between patients and their medical teams.

via Good News Network|

#hand-transplant #health #medical-breakthrough

health2 years ago•5 min saved

Stem Cells in Kidney Transplants May Eliminate Need for Anti-Rejection Drugs

A phase 3 clinical trial has shown that adding stem cells from the organ donor to kidney transplants can help patients wean off lifelong anti-rejection drugs, which have harmful side effects. The trial found that 16 out of 19 patients were able to stop taking these drugs after two years. This approach, which involves creating a hybrid immune system through "mixed chimerism," could potentially extend the lifespan of transplanted kidneys and reduce the need for repeat transplants. However, more research is needed to apply this method to a broader range of patients and other types of organ transplants.

via NBC News|

#clinical-trial #health #immunosuppressants

health2 years ago•2 min saved

"Houston Hospitals Resume Transplant Program Amid Allegations of Database Manipulation"

Houston Methodist Hospital is reviewing nearly 75 patients left without options after Memorial Hermann's transplant programs were shut down amid accusations of a surgeon manipulating donor databases and possibly preventing some patients from receiving livers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is investigating the allegations, and some of Memorial Hermann's patients may be moving to Houston Methodist for care. UTHealth stands behind the surgeon, while investigators oversee the federal investigation to protect patient safety and equitable access to organ transplant services.

via KPRC Click2Houston|

#health #houston-methodist-hospital #investigation

healthcare2 years ago•4 min saved

"Allegations Against Houston Surgeon Steve Bynon for Manipulating Liver Transplant Records"

Dr. J. Steve Bynon Jr., a prominent transplant surgeon in Houston, is accused of altering patient records to deny them liver transplants, leading to the suspension of the liver and kidney transplant programs at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. The hospital is investigating the allegations, and both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the United Network for Organ Sharing are also involved. Patients have been contacted to explore alternative care options, and the severity of the allegations has prompted a thorough response from regulatory authorities and medical professionals.

via USA TODAY|

#healthcare #houston #investigation

health2 years ago•4 min saved

"Landmark Pig Kidney Transplant Patient Experiences Tense Rejection Episode Before Leaving Hospital"

The world's first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant experienced a rejection episode before leaving the hospital, but has since shown no further signs of distress. The groundbreaking procedure, performed by Massachusetts General Hospital, involved a transplant of an engineered porcine kidney, and the positive outcome is an encouraging sign for future trials of cross-species transplantation. The patient's recovery is being closely monitored, and ongoing discussions are being held with the FDA about initiating a clinical trial for pig kidney transplants.

via STAT|

#genetically-modified-pig #health #medical-breakthrough