Will the Pig Be a Hero Yet?

This is no joke; so, please do not stop reading until the article is complete!

A PIG KIDNEY functioned in a human body for 32 days! Details after the next introductory sections.

Fifteen or twenty years ago, my father-in-law was having trouble “catching his breath” after even the slightest exercise. His cardiologist tested and found that he had a “worn out” heart valve that was leaking and could not be repaired— it had to be replaced.

The Doctor said that surgery would be necessary to sustain his life and that he had two choices: 1) replacement with a metal mechanical valve….or….2) replacement with a pig valve, taken from a healthy “donor” pig. PAPA thought the doctor was teasing, but when he found out the decision had to be made and rather quickly, he asked which would be best.

The doctor said the pig (porcine) valve would function most like a human valve and would not require a blood thinner but would probably only last maybe ten years before needing to be replaced with a new one. The mechanical valve would last indefinitely but might be “heard” working and would require a daily blood thinner (Coumadin) and regular blood tests to work properly.

Papa chose the mechanical, because he was pretty sure he would live more than another ten years and did not want to have another major surgery when the pig valve wore out. He did so, and the process and results worked well. But, he did not like some of the side effects of the Coumadin and always wondered if he should have chosen the “pig.”

Back to today—I have been listening to the “real” news and have been reading newspapers and magazines (A brief internet search yielded 8 articles.) and have come across several mentions of the possible use of animal organs to prolong the lives and comfortable living of humans when transplanted into them.

And, back in 2022, I had read of a man who was kept alive with a genetically modified “pig heart” for quite some time—weeks, not just days!

And, this latest thing I came across really caught my attention: Transplanted into a “brain-dead,” but kept “alive” by a machine, human body, a pig kidney that had been modified genetically, continued functioning properly for a little more than one month—apparently and reportedly producing urine and filtering out dangerous toxins.

The best thing, though, was that the pig kidney was not quickly rejected (less than a day) as has reportedly been a constant case in transplants from animals to humans!

Now, we all know that tests must be repeated and studied to be valid, and at least one other earlier case of “gene-altered kidney(s)” was reported to have continued to function for one week.

From what I have read, these two studies and maybe even more have been documented and reviewed and published and seem to be valid.

“SO WHAT?” Well, if doctors can use pigs and other animals that have tissues somewhat similar to humans to prolong lives to bring time to heal or to find human donors, then think of the lives that can be saved—maybe mine, maybe yours!!!

And, it was reported that at least one of the tests could have continued, but the “family” of the “deceased” person was ready to “move on.”

Doctors and scientists all admit that it will take time—they do not know how long—to figure out how to eliminate “things” found in animals that do not ”mesh” with humans and to figure out how to do so quickly when donor animals are procured and ailing humans are prepared. To put it briefly, they must find out how to keep human tissues/ organs from attacking transplanted tissues! It may sound easy, but apparently it is extremely difficult!

But, this news surely gives more hope that some day, illnesses that now kill humans may easily be eliminated! I remember my Grandma Themer talking about my Dad’s sister who died at a very young age around 1920 of a malady that today could be cured in a few days with an available medicine that had not been perfected back then.

I thought this article was complete until I opened the newspaper today and read that “As the study’s initial one-month deadline approached,” the chief of the transplant institute asked if they could keep the study and body going for “a second month,” and the family “agreed” with certain stipulations.