{
  "id": 5432591,
  "title": "Pig kidney kept a man off dialysis for nine months in world first",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/pig-kidney-kept-a-man-off-dialysis-for-nine-months-in-world-first",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-03T22:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2587510-pig-kidney-kept-a-man-off-dialysis-for-nine-months-in-world-first/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A genetically modified pig’s kidney kept a man with severe kidney failure off dialysis for nine months, making it the first such instance in history. This breakthrough suggests that pig kidneys may serve as temporary replacements for human donors in the future while providing relief to those on lengthy waiting lists. \"It's incredible in terms of the science behind it,\" remarked Michelle Willicombe, an expert not involved in the research. The kidney, sourced from a Yucatan miniature pig, was genetically altered to enhance compatibility with the recipient's immune system. The transplant was performed in January 2025 by Leonardo Riella and his team at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Initially successful, Tim Andrews, the patient, was later hospitalized for a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, which could not be treated by most antibiotics. Despite this setback, Andrews' kidney function deteriorated after six months, leading to its removal after 271 days. This pioneering procedure allowed Andrews to avoid dialysis for three months before receiving a suitable human kidney in January 2026, marking the first time a pig kidney acted as a temporary bridge to a human transplant. Riella highlighted the potential of such transplants to alleviate the strain of dialysis on patients, although he declined to speculate on the cost of the procedure.",
  "summary": "A pig kidney transplant worked for a record nine months. This enabled the recipient to stay off dialysis for longer while waiting for a suitable human donor's kidney to become available",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}