http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0110/c90000-20264449.html

The world’s first gene-edited pig xenotransplantation surgery was performed to a brain-dead patient at the Xijing Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University.

This clinical study has been approved by the academic committee, medical ethics committee, organ transplantation committee, and animal committee, and complies with international requirements for xenotransplantation, according to the statement.

The surgery involved multiple stages, including the harvesting of the donor pig’s liver, resection of the patient’s original liver, and implantation of the new liver, as well as reconstruction of blood vessels, hemostasis and closure. The surgery took more than 10 hours to complete. More than 800 grams of six-gene edited pig liver was successfully implanted in situ into a patient, who had been certified as brain dead after the hospital’s all-out rescue efforts and multiple evaluations.

After intraoperative opening of the blood flow to the transplanted porcine liver, the liver showed good perfusion and began to produce bile. As of now, the patient’s circulation and other basic vital signs are stable, and liver function and several other indicators are gradually stabilizing, marking the surgery a success.

There are nearly 400 million patients with liver diseases and more than 7 million patients with liver cirrhosis in China. Additionally, each year, there are 300,000 to 500,000 new cases of liver failure. For liver failure, liver transplantation is the only effective cure. In reality, many people have lost their lives because they cannot wait for a human liver donor, read the statement.