Pig kidney functions for record 271 days inside man awaiting human transplant

A man who lived with a pig kidney for 271 days before later receiving a human organ shows how the practice of xenotransplantation could help bridge the gap for patients on the donor list, a new paper found. The Mass General Brigham paper was published Sept. 3 in The Lancet. According to a news release from Mass General Brigham, 66-year-old Tim Andrews received a genetically modified pig kidney transplant in January 2025. The pig organ transplant – known as xenotransplantation – allowed Andrews to skip dialysis for 271 days before he had the organ removed Oct. 23 because its function was declining. Andrews resumed dialysis before receiving a human kidney transplant in January 2026.