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What does the first successful test of a pig-to-human kidney transplant mean?

The milestone is a step toward solving shortages of the organ but hurdles remain

several doctors in scrubs and masks look at a patient on an operating table

A surgical team at NYU Langone Health in New York City attached a pig kidney to a human patient in a first-of-its-kind procedure. Here, the team examines the kidney for signs of rejection. The kidney functioned normally for 54 hours.

Joe Carrotta for NYU Langone Health

By Jonathan Lambert

Surgeons in New York City successfully attached a pig kidney to a human patient and watched the pinkish organ function normally for 54 hours.