Medical Breakthrough: Woman With Pig Kidney Defies the Odds

An Alabama woman has made history as the longest living recipient of a pig organ transplant, reaching a milestone that no other patient has survived. Towana Looney, 53, passed the two-month mark on Jan. 25 after receiving a genetically modified pig kidney in November.

A Risky but Life-Saving Procedure

Looney, a mother of two and grandmother of two, had been on dialysis for eight years before agreeing to the experimental surgery. She had spent years searching for a human donor but was told her body’s high levels of antibodies would likely reject a transplant. After exhausting all other options, her doctor in Alabama, Jayme Locke, told her about the possibility of transplanting a genetically modified pig kidney.

Despite the risk, Looney was eager to move forward. “I didn’t let her get it all the way out of her mouth,” she recalled said in a video interview recorded by NYU Langone Health as reported by USA Today. “I said, ‘Yes, ma’am.’”

Her surgery was performed at NYU Langone Health in New York City on Nov. 25. She was discharged from the hospital just 11 days later and now stays in an apartment nearby for daily health checks. Doctors have been closely monitoring her kidney function using wearable sensors and frequent blood tests.

A Medical Breakthrough in Organ Transplants

Looney is the fifth person to receive a gene-edited pig organ since 2022, but the first to survive beyond two months. Previous patients, who received either pig hearts or kidneys, experienced short-lived success before ultimately succumbing to complications.

Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led Looney’s transplant, says her kidney function is “absolutely normal.” He believes her relatively good health before the surgery played a key role in her success. “We’re quite optimistic that this is going to continue to work and work well for, you know, a significant period of time,” he told the Associated Press.

“If you saw her on the street, you would have no idea that she’s the only person in the world walking around with a pig organ inside them that’s functioning,” he said.

The goal of xenotransplantation - using animal organs in human patients - is to address the severe shortage of transplantable human organs. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently on the transplant waiting list, with thousands dying each year before an organ becomes available. Scientists have been genetically modifying pigs to make their organs more compatible with the human body. Looney’s kidney came from a pig with 10 genetic edits designed to prevent rejection and clotting.

Looking to the Future

Although doctors don’t know how long Looney’s pig kidney will function, her progress is giving hope to both researchers and patients waiting for transplants. If her organ fails, she could return to dialysis or even receive another pig kidney.

Meanwhile, Looney has taken on an unexpected role - speaking with other patients who are considering pig organ transplants. She has been contacted by people facing similar decisions, including one patient who was scared to proceed. Instead of persuading him, she encouraged him to pray and trust his instincts.

“I love talking to people, I love helping people,” Looney said, as reported by the Associated Press. “I want to be, like, some educational piece [for scientists and patients alike].”

With clinical trials expected to begin later this year, Looney’s success could mark a turning point in the future of organ transplantation.

For now, Towana Looney is embracing her new lease on life, celebrating her recovery by staying active and even outpacing her family on long walks through New York City. “I’m superwoman,” she told The Associated Press. “It’s a new take on life.”

References: Woman Living with Pig Organ Hits Milestone 2 Months After Surgery: ‘I’m Superwoman’ | Woman recovering after risky pig kidney transplant. It could ‘help so many people.’ | The only person in the world with a functioning pig organ is thriving after a record 2 months