Progress in Xenotransplantation Opens Door to New Supply of Critically Needed Organs | NYU Langone News
The investigational transplant performed by Dr. Montgomery and his team brings the field one step closer to the goal of an adequate organ supply.
The first investigational transplant of a genetically engineered, nonhuman kidney to a human body was recently completed at NYU Langone Health—marking a major step forward in potentially utilizing an alternative supply of organs for people facing life-threatening disease.
Multimedia materials, including photos, B-roll package, and an animation of the surgical procedure, are available for download.
Known as xenotransplantation, the surgery was performed on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at NYU Langone’s Kimmel Pavilion. Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery and chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Langone and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, led a surgical team during the two-hour operation. The kidney was obtained from a genetically engineered pig hundreds of miles away and transplanted into a deceased donor. The donor was maintained on a ventilator, with the consent of the family, for 54 hours while doctors studied the kidney’s function and watched for signs of rejection.
VIDEO: After the procedure, key indicators of a functioning kidney were normal and at levels expected to be seen in a human kidney transplant.
