Doctors Successfully Transplant 2 Pig Hearts Into Brain Dead Patients

A NYU Langone Health team has successfully transplanted two genetically engineered pig hearts into brain dead humans this year. These surgeries were in an attempt to make xenotransplantation a protocol for patients with heart disease.

The xenotransplantations took place on June 16 and July 6. The recipients were two recently brain dead patients supported by ventilators at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital.

The hearts selected were from pigs with 10 specific genetic modifications to ensure there would be no chance of rejection or abnormal growths. The hearts selected also needed to be able to promote proteins that would enable growth to keep the heart functioning. The patients and hearts were then monitored for 72 hours after transplantation.