Porcine kidney xenotransplantation as a bridge to allotransplantation: a first-in-human study.
Leonardo V Riella, Thiago J Borges, Ivy A Rosales et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A patient with end-stage kidney disease received a gene-edited porcine kidney xenograft as a bridge to allotransplantation. The xenograft functioned immediately, allowing for 271 days of dialysis independence. Although initial T-cell-mediated rejection was treated successfully, later graft failure occurred due to microvascular injury and thrombotic microangiopathy. The patient subsequently underwent human kidney allotransplantation with immediate function and no sensitisation.
What made this case unusual
The case highlights the ability of a porcine kidney xenograft to provide prolonged renal support without significant allosensitisation or zoonotic infection, despite later complications.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should be aware that xenograft failure can occur due to mechanisms beyond conventional antibody-mediated rejection, even with a negative donor-specific crossmatch.
Why it matters
This case underscores the potential of porcine kidney xenotransplantation as a viable option for bridging patients to human allotransplantation, addressing organ shortages.