If a pigs heart was beating in my chest I dont think I would ever be able to relax again
I suspect this guy has already come to terms with death.
U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
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Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#32When I was a teenager there was a novel adapted for TV by the BBC called “Pig Heart Boy”. It explored the emotional impact of this type of procedure on a teenager and the response from the public, both good and bad. I don’t remember much about it but it looks like it won a BAFTA.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#33Piglet is Public Domain for a WEEK and they're already harvesting his organs.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#34We're getting good at building artificial nonorganic heart, still a bit away from growing conventional hearts.
I wonder how these future options intersect, whether one will win out over another, or we will be having hybrids?
Electromagnetic motors work fine, but a big issue with them is the method of powering them and maybe biocompatibility issue.
Normal organic hearts don't have this disadvantage but their downside is that they are in its infancy?
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#35The pig was modified to remove presentation of immunogenic sugars on the cell surface. Unfortunately, the recipient needs to be on immunosuppressants the rest of their life.
This rekindles discussions back in school about chimeras... in order for the organs to be immunocompatible, the donor needs to be partially human. What % is too human to harvest for organs?
I suppose it's still too soon to answer such questions, but apparently, 0% acceptable.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#36Interesting 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.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
It seems like those are not quite there yet: How to Build an Artificial Heart https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/03/08/how-to-build-a...
A bunch of people do have artificial hearts. I'm wondering what about this patient made one not suitable for him.
Maybe cost? Those things ain't cheap.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#38If pigs (or any animal) broaden the compatibility to other organs, what are the ethical implications for raising them with the intention to harvest their organs, if any?
On one hand, we already raise pigs to kill and eat routinely, and (mostly) people don't care - is this any different than say, buying a pig heart at the market to eat?
On the other hand, it does somehow feel different to me, perhaps because sharing organs somehow humanizes the pigs by emphasizing our similarity? I'm not entirely sure from where my hesitation stems.
I'm curious if anyone else read this story with mixed reactions.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#39We're getting good at building artificial nonorganic heart, still a bit away from growing conventional hearts. I wonder how these future options intersect, whether one will win out over another, or we will be having hybrids? Electromagnetic motors work fine, but a big issue with them is the method of powering them and maybe biocompatibility issue. Normal organic hearts don't have this disadvantage but their downside…
One word: 3D printing. Ok that was two words, but still exciting.
Re: U.S. surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient
#40The pig was modified to remove presentation of immunogenic sugars on the cell surface. Unfortunately, the recipient needs to be on immunosuppressants the rest of their life. This rekindles discussions back in school about chimeras... in order for the organs to be immunocompatible, the donor needs to be partially human. What % is too human to harvest for organs? I suppose it's still too soon to answer such questions,…
I don't think it is all that uncommon for regular human-to-human transplant recipients to be on immunosuppressants for life. If I'm not mistaken, that's the case for all organ recipients, but there may be exceptions. I think the concept of "immunocompatibility" can refer to a spectrum of outcomes that we haven't gotten down even for transplants within our own species.