世界首例豬器官移植完成

In a landmark moment for the medical community, advancements in organ donation were made with the completion of the first pig-to-human heart transplant on January 7, 2022 (via USA Today). Maryland resident Dave Bennett underwent a nine-hour experimental surgical procedure to receive a genetically modified heart from a 240-pound pig. Faced with a life-threatening heart condition, the patient emerged from surgery that his loved ones describe as "nothing short of a miracle." Post-operation, Bennett is now receiving blood flow assistance through the use of an ECMO machine for the time being (via USA Today).

2022年1月7日，首例豬到人的心臟移植完成，這對醫(yī)學(xué)界來說是一個里程碑式的時刻。馬里蘭州居民戴夫·班尼特接受了9個小時的實(shí)驗(yàn)性外科手術(shù)，從一頭240磅重的豬身上移植了一顆轉(zhuǎn)基因心臟。面對危及生命的心臟狀況，這位病人從手術(shù)中走出來，他的親人形容這“簡直是個奇跡”。術(shù)后，班尼特目前正在接受體外膜肺氧合(ECMO)機(jī)器的血液流動輔助。

Bennett is continuing to be monitored for potential infection and organ rejection, but has made it successfully past the critical initial two-day period. Bennett's surgeon, Dr. Bartley Griffith, the director of heart transplant program at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tells The New York Times that their approach is to take things one step at a time, stating, "It creates the pulse, it creates the pressure, it is his heart. It's working and it looks normal. We are thrilled, but we don't know what tomorrow will bring us. This has never been done before."

班尼特仍在接受潛在感染和器官排斥反應(yīng)的監(jiān)測，但他已經(jīng)成功度過了關(guān)鍵的最初兩天。班尼特的外科醫(yī)生、馬里蘭大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)中心心臟移植項(xiàng)目主任巴特利·格里菲斯醫(yī)生告訴《紐約時報》，他們的方法是一步一步來，“它產(chǎn)生了脈搏，產(chǎn)生了壓力，這是他的心臟。它在工作，看起來很正常。我們很激動，但我們不知道明天會給我們帶來什么。這是以前從未做過的。”

The unique transplant benefits of pig organs

豬器官移植的獨(dú)特優(yōu)勢

With roughly 550,000 new cases of heart failure diagnosed annually (via Emory Health), an estimated 6.5 million people in the U.S. are living with heart failure (via NYU Langone Health). The American Heart Association defines heart failure as a condition in which the heart has become weakened in its ability to adequately pump blood to meet the body's needs. With heart donations in high demand, Donate Life America reports that over 3,000 Americans are on the national transplant waiting list in need of a new heart.

每年大約有55萬新診斷出的心力衰竭病例(通過埃默里健康)，估計美國有650萬人患有心力衰竭。美國心臟協(xié)會將心力衰竭定義為心臟供血能力減弱以滿足身體需要的一種情況。由于心臟捐獻(xiàn)需求旺盛，美國生命捐贈組織報告稱，超過3000名美國人在全國移植等待名單上，需要新的心臟。

While animal organ donation is not new, pig organs have the potential to provide unique benefits to human transplant patients not offered by other animals that have been used for organ donation in the past. For example, unlike primates, pigs reach maturity much faster, within six months' time (via The New York Times). Additionally, with the advancements of gene-editing technology and cloning, pig organs have been modified in ways that reduce the chances for rejection by the human body.

雖然動物器官捐贈并不新鮮，但豬器官有可能為人類移植患者提供獨(dú)特的好處，這是過去用于器官捐贈的其他動物所沒有的。例如，與靈長類動物不同，豬在六個月內(nèi)更快地成熟。此外，隨著基因編輯技術(shù)和克隆技術(shù)的進(jìn)步，豬的器官已經(jīng)被改造，以減少被人體排斥的機(jī)會。

Heart transplant patient and transplant surgeon at NYU Langone Robert Montgomery has high hopes for the future of transplant patients and their loved ones following the news of Bennett's surgery, telling USA Today, "This is a truly remarkable breakthrough. I am thrilled by this news and the hope it gives to my family and other patients who will eventually be saved by this breakthrough."

紐約大學(xué)朗格尼分校的心臟移植患者和移植外科醫(yī)生羅伯特·蒙哥馬利(Robert Montgomery)在得知班尼特手術(shù)的消息后，對移植患者及其親人的未來寄予厚望，“這是一個真正了不起的突破。我為這一消息感到激動，也為我的家人和其他患者帶來希望，他們最終將通過這一突破而得救。”