There is no other solution than to follow the route of heart transplants[/B] from genetically modified pigs, since the shortage of human organs for transplantation around the world is huge, President of the Cardiology Society of Cyprus, Dr. Theodoros Christodoulides, who describes as an "important and pioneering step" the first heart transplant attempted in the US from a genetically modified pig.
However, Dr. Christodoulides stresses that although the way is paving the way for new kinds of transplants that will save the lives of many people, however, this "road is very long" and is far from coming into the everyday practice of medicine.
Asked by the Cyprus News Agency what the first heart transplant performed from a genetically modified pig on a 57-year-old American citizen means to the scientific community, Dr. Christodoulides said that "his is certainly very important news for the scientific community", referring to something "revolutionary", which is being applied for the first time in cardiology and organ transplantation in general.
He adds that although it is far from coming into the everyday practice of medicine, he adds that "there is no alternative but to follow this route, because transplants, particularly of the heart, are a big problem for the medical community".
Few transplants worldwide, shift to other solutions
As he says, heart failure patients[/B] are increasing more and more as the years go by, explaining that this is because of the increase in diseases leading to heart failure.
According to the president of the Heart Association, several people on waiting lists for transplants die each year before they receive the vital organ they need to live.
[/P][BR][BR]Moreover, he stresses that "transplants worldwide are too few," adding that "we definitely need to turn to other solutions."
"The need for heart transplants is constantly increasing, and patients with heart failure reach - despite treatments - a terminal stage and end up with no choice but transplantation. There are many treatments for heart failure, but they are not always curative," said Dr. Christodoulides.
Cypriot citizens on waiting lists, low chances of getting a transplant
In response to a question, Theodoros Christodoulides said that many of our fellow Cypriots are on waiting lists at centres abroad, noting that they have "low chances of getting a transplant" because of the high number of waiting lists around the world.
Asked if this is the first time a xenotransplantation has been created in the world or if it has been attempted before, he replied that it is the first time a heart transplant has been attempted in this way, i.e. with a genetically modified pig heart.
Citing the literature, he said that it had been attempted before in a pediatric case with a monkey heart, but it was not successful as it lasted for very few days.
In addition, he says that other types of transplants are also being attempted, and notes that what is most often done is the transplantation - not of solid organs - but of some cells from animals to humans to treat certain conditions.
On a daily basis, and in Cyprus, heart valve transplants from animals
Referring to transplants of prosthetic heart valves from animal material, Dr. Christodoulides explained that it is something very different and has been applied for many years to heart patients.
Further, he explained that the animal valve itself is not transplanted, but valves are made from material taken from animal hearts and from the pericardium in particular, either pigs or cattle.
He adds that this material is formed into an artificial valve, which is surgically implanted in patients.
He refers to "a now well-established method, which he says is very often used with great success, but is very different from the transplantation of solid organs".
With regard to solid organ transplantation, he notes that "there are other issues relating to compatibility, i.e. the possibility that the human body might reject the animal heart, that the immune system might recognise it as a foreign body, attack it and then destroy it".
As he notes, "this does not happen when animal material is used for valves because it is not the whole organ," adding that "valves do not have a blood supply so it is a different situation."
"Such operations", according to Dr. Christodoulides, "are performed all over the world and in Cyprus and on a daily basis."
What does genetic modification mean
The President of the Cyprus Cardiology Society tells CNA that with the method of genetic modification the DNA of the animal is modified in order for the human immune system not to recognize it as foreign and not to reject it."
The President of the Cyprus Cardiology Society tells CNA that with the method of genetic modification the DNA of the animal is modified in order for the human immune system not to recognize it as foreign and not to reject it.
He also explains that the bet at the moment is that the organism of the person in question in the US will not reject the heart, noting that "it is unknown when and if the organism will reject the heart."
"The first few weeks are theoretically the most important for acute rejection," he says."
"The first few weeks are theoretically the most important for acute rejection," he says.
Why from a pig
In response to another question about why the transplant was taken from a pig, Dr. Christodoulides explained that the heart was taken from a pig because its anatomy is very close to the human heart.
"The sizes are close and it is easy to reverse them," he added.
Cyprus is at a low level in organ donation
Dr. Christodoulides notes, among other things, that "Cyprus is at a low level in terms of organ donation" since, as he says, "it depends on the decision of the family environment at the moment of a brain death of a relative of the person."
"As you can understand, it is not as easy as if someone has already declared or not declared that they want to become an organ donor. So it is at the discretion of the family environment and it is a difficult time to decide," he says.
He also adds that in Cyprus the culture of organ donation "is still behind" and reiterates the need for organ donation in our country.
He urges people if they find themselves in the difficult position of being asked about the possibility of organ donation to be positive in order to help other fellow citizens.
Source: CNA
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