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China's Pioneering Pig Liver Transplant Lasts 38 Days

10/11/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Surgeons in China transplanted a genetically modified pig liver segment into a cancer patient, marking a major advance in xenotransplantation.
The pig liver supported metabolic functions for 38 days before complications required its removal.
The patient lived 133 days after the procedure and died from gastrointestinal bleeding unrelated to the transplant, while the remaining liver regenerated.

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Story summary

Surgeons in China transplanted a genetically modified pig liver segment into a cancer patient, marking a major advance in xenotransplantation.
The pig liver supported metabolic functions for 38 days before complications required its removal.
The patient lived 133 days after the procedure and died from gastrointestinal bleeding unrelated to the transplant, while the remaining liver regenerated.