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U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

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Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#131

Post by tombert »

lupire wrote: post #121
tricky wrote: post #26

You might be asking, why a pig? I don't know, but forever ago I wrote software for a cardiovascular imaging lab and pigs were their primary test subjects. I was like, "why pigs?" and the PI was like, "Imaging-wise, pig hearts aren't too different from humans. Plus, we can give them a heart attack in the scanner and not go to jail. Some labs use dogs. I just can't do that."

Weird to have a a scientist behaving so irrationally regarding pigs vs dogs, especially because the pig was chosen for its likeness to a human.

I was about to say, aren't pigs smarter than dogs generally? Seems like a strange line to draw.

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#132

Post by [deleted] »

Victerius wrote: post #48
tricky wrote: post #26

You might be asking, why a pig? I don't know, but forever ago I wrote software for a cardiovascular imaging lab and pigs were their primary test subjects. I was like, "why pigs?" and the PI was like, "Imaging-wise, pig hearts aren't too different from humans. Plus, we can give them a heart attack in the scanner and not go to jail. Some labs use dogs. I just can't do that."

What ... happens to the pigs who get accidental heart attacks? Are they ...? Do they ...?

[deleted]

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#133

Post by moron4hire »

lupire wrote: post #121
tricky wrote: post #26

You might be asking, why a pig? I don't know, but forever ago I wrote software for a cardiovascular imaging lab and pigs were their primary test subjects. I was like, "why pigs?" and the PI was like, "Imaging-wise, pig hearts aren't too different from humans. Plus, we can give them a heart attack in the scanner and not go to jail. Some labs use dogs. I just can't do that."

Weird to have a a scientist behaving so irrationally regarding pigs vs dogs, especially because the pig was chosen for its likeness to a human.

I've kicked a lot more people than dogs, so it probably has more to do with dogness.

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#134

Post by mardifoufs »

ummonk wrote: post #114
mattrighetti wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My father got a brand new cow valve a few months ago. He had to choose between that, a pig one and a mechanical one, each one is better for each specific case from what I understand. But yeah, crazy stuff.

I imagine Muslims, Jews, and Hindus would tend to have specific preferences as well.

I'd argue that in islam pretty much all of these restrictions are not applicable when it's for medical reasons. Alcohol is explicitly allowed in such cases (I think it was used to relieve pain in surgeries) , and even pork is okay to eat if you can't find anything else. Another example would be Ramadan fasting, which is not necessary if you are ill or when you are travelin. Overall, almost any restriction in islam is very flexible when it's a matter of life or death, or if it's a medical necessity/recommendation. So, a pig valve is arguably not any different from a cow valve when it's so clearly not for regular consumption.

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#135

Post by holistio »

ummonk wrote: post #114
mattrighetti wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My father got a brand new cow valve a few months ago. He had to choose between that, a pig one and a mechanical one, each one is better for each specific case from what I understand. But yeah, crazy stuff.

I imagine Muslims, Jews, and Hindus would tend to have specific preferences as well.

Vegans, too!

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#136

Post by kingsloi »

xtracto wrote: post #36
kingsloi wrote: post #8

Interesting that it's a pig heart! I was introduced into "pig bladder ground up into magical pixie dust" aka ACell ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACell ) when it was used to treat my child's heart surgery incision. I was super surprised how well it worked and how quick, too!

I read about the "magical pixie dust" in a very old Time Magazine (that my dad had a subscription to). Since then, I have always dreamed of having the tip of my left thumb "regrown" using that or a similar technology. Glad to know that it is being used more commonly on nowadays.

That’s awesome! I couldn’t believe it when they first said it was made from pig bladder. We didn’t use all of it... I should’ve asked for the remainder and pit it in a takeout box and kept it for a rainy day

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#138

Post by literallyaduck »

pm90 wrote: post #79
MichaelRazum wrote: post #62

The pig life expectancy is about 12-18 years. Does it mean that the heart will work about so long?

Not necessarily. Life expectancy is affected by the most mortal part of your species: it might be that pigs’ hearts are fine, but they’re prone to cancers after a certain age.

Then could they yeet the old one into the sausage grinder and transplant a fresh one. It could even be a nice 12 year ritual, pay 1 million dollars for the most expensive sausage you'll ever eat.

http://www.culinarypen.com/2014/02/pork-heart-sausage.html?m...

Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

#140

Post by tiborsaas »

meepmorp wrote: post #89
Victerius wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What ... happens to the pigs who get accidental heart attacks? Are they ...? Do they ...?

They get rushed to a special hospital for pigs and then go to live long happy lives with other porcine MI survivors on a farm far, far away.

I've heard they have a great staff of dogtors.
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