The different technological innovations in the field of medical science have highly redefined how much health practitioners can do for patient care. Xenotransplantation is a relatively recent breakthrough that involves the use of non-human organs, tissues, or cells for treating medical conditions in human patients. Xenotransplantation forms the basis of advanced surgery and is considered a cornerstone of modern treatment. This article explores how this procedure has impacted medicine over the years.
Burn Treatments and Skin Grafts
Treating burns and making skin grafts is the most common application of xenotransplantation. researchers used animal tissues for xenograft studies to dress wounds and make surgical repairs. They discovered that different animal tissues, which are almost similar to those of humans, could be used to make advancements in human medicine.
This discovery allowed surgeons and other healthcare practitioners to start using pig skin to temporarily cover burn wounds and prevent infection during the healing process. The xenografts also promote healing by allowing the patients’ skin to grow out of their own bodies.
Assists in Organ Transplantation
Another way that xenografts have impacted medicine over the years is by assisting in organ transplantation. An excellent example is the kidney transplant. FDA-approved clinical trials where patients with malfunctioning kidneys receive genetically modified pig kidneys. Furthermore, individuals with life-threatening conditions can undergo experimental treatments involving xenografts if no other options are available.
Medical researchers can work together to create a future where anyone in need of a kidney or heart transplant can get one without struggling to search for a donor. They should find solutions to potential xenotransplantation challenges, such as rejection, malfunction, and infection.
According to recent studies, pig kidneys can perform regular kidney functions, such as eliminating toxins from the body. However, sometimes, they might fail to accomplish other crucial roles like regulating blood pressure. Therefore, researchers have to invent a technique that ensures that the animal organs function fully after being transplanted into the human body.
Human bodies can reject new organs, particularly non-human ones, due to differences in DNA. For this reason, transplant recipients often take medication before and after the procedure to prevent organ rejection.
Medical experts also monitor the side effects. These recipients have to be monitored closely to prevent them from developing animal-specific diseases and spreading them to the people living nearby.
Cancer Management
Clinical researchers are using xenografts to control a wide range of cancers, including lung and prostate cancer. The tumor of the patient is taken, and implanted as a xenograft in immune-deficient mice, and its responsiveness to various drugs is determined. This information enables the experts to design personalized treatments for cancer patients.
Xenotransplantation has significantly changed medicine over the years by assisting in surgery and offering life-saving solutions to cancer patients. The application of xenografts in treating burns and heart transplantation shows that this procedure is the future of medicine and surgery. Conducting more clinical trials and studies will improve the safety and effectiveness of xenotransplantation, which is a great way to improve the outcome of the treatment procedure.
As researchers discover new treatment procedures using genetic engineering, xenotransplantation can solve the problem of organ shortages. Since xenotransplantation has many practical health applications, health professionals and patients can benefit from this technology in the future. With proper research and oversight, xenotransplantation could provide hope to countless patients worldwide.
