Why Xenotransplantation and what are its potential benefits?

Result of improved medical and technological interventions in the field of transplantation, an increasing number of people are now listed for transplants and it is estimated that approximately 45,000 people are currently on waiting lists for any kind of organ transplant in the different EU member states. Efforts to increase organ donation, to improve the usefulness of sub-optimal organs and to utilise organs from living-related donors, represent important corrective steps. However, current figures indicate that these approaches are unlikely to ever fully meet demand. In an effort to meet the demand for organs for transplantation, many different avenues are being explored. These include the development of artificial organs, tissue engineering and xenotransplantation. Should xenotransplantation become a reality, it could provide an unlimited supply of organs of any type or size for human transplantation. Any disease that is treated by human-to-human transplantation could potentially be treated by xenotransplantation. In theory, whole organ xenotransplantation could include hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys or pancreases. Tissue xenotransplantation could include skin grafts for burnt patientsor bone transplants for limb reconstruction. Cellular xenotransplantation could provide treatment for people with type 1 diabetes or Parkinson disease. The availability of a large number of organs would minimise the time spent on the waiting list, avoid the progressive clinical deterioration that usually occurs while waiting for an organ and enable elective, programmed surgery in ideal clinical conditions. The shorter time spent on the waiting list would considerably reduce the costs of treating patients with terminal organ failure (such as dialysis). It would also enable the large number of patients for whom organs are currently unavailable to be transplanted. Xenotransplantation would permit a better organisation of the activities at transplant units. Ischemia time, which is considered an important factor for the long-term survival of an allograft, would be substantially reduced. The widespread availability of organs would hopefully also eliminate the repeatedly reported illegal trading of human organs.