liver

A MAN lived with a transplanted pig liver for more than a month in the most successful operation of its kind, scientists say.

The terminally ill 71-year-old received the genetically modified organ in Anhui, China, last year.

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It then functioned normally for 38 days – five weeks – before having to be removed due to blood clotting, a complication from the op.

The patient was the first living person to have the procedure and survived for 171 days, about six months, afterwards.

He had run out of treatment options for liver cancer and scarring caused by hepatitis B, and died from internal bleeding months after the transplant was removed.

His survival is not as long as the record for a patient with a pig’s kidney, at six months and counting.

But it was longer than the previous record for a liver, set by a brain-dead patient whose life support was turned off after 10 days.

Scientists have also experimented with transplanting a lung into a brain-dead patient.

A new era has started

Dr Heiner WedemeyerThe Journal of Hepatology

Surgeon and study author Dr Beicheng Sun, from Anhui Medical University, said: “This case proves that a genetically engineered pig liver can function in a human for an extended period.

“It is a pivotal step forward, demonstrating both the promise and the remaining hurdles.”

Scientists hope that organs from pigs could be used to save people at risk of dying on transplant waiting lists.

They are similar in size to human body parts and gene editing can cut the risk of the immune system rejecting them.

Writing in the Journal of Hepatology, Dr Sun said more experiments are needed to perfect the procedure.

Dr Heiner Wedemeyer, editor of the journal, said: “A new era of transplant has started.”

Influencer Liver King says he still has his sights on Joe Rogan, even after he was arrested in Texas earlier this week for making online threats toward the popular podcaster.

The 47-year-old social media personality known for his carnivorous and “primitive” lifestyle was released from Travis County Jail Wednesday afternoon on $20,000 bail, officials confirmed to The Times. He was arrested Tuesday in Austin on suspicion of one count of misdemeanor terroristic threat. Court records show that the influencer — born Brian Johnson — must stay at least 200 yards away from and must not contact Rogan and his family. Johnson is also prohibited from possessing firearms and must undergo a mental health evaluation within a week of his release.

Johnson addressed his release and its terms in a video posted Thursday to his Instagram and Facebook pages. Standing on a vibrating exercise plate, Johnson seemingly hints at plans to confront Rogan — namedropping a Hollywood star to sidestep mentioning the podcaster’s name — while respecting the terms of his restraining order.

“If anybody knows where Seth Rogen is — the other version of him that rhymes with ‘blow’… where his family’s gonna be today, if you can let my team know so that we can stay away from them,” he said, before immediately walking back his request.

“Don’t do anything to their family,” Johnson continues, before contradicting himself and asking fans again to alert him and his team if they are near anyone with “the last name Rogan.” He pans the camera down to display his ankle monitor and rambles about his plans to appear at the state capitol building.

He adds, naming the wrong celebrity: “I’m picking a fight. Who’s it with? Seth Rogen. It’s with Seth Rogen. What’s it for? Family.”

Neither representatives for Johnson nor Rogan immediately responded to The Times’ request for comment on Friday.

Liver King booking image.

(Austin Police Department)

A spokesperson for the Austin Police Department told The Times on Wednesday that detectives learned Tuesday morning that Johnson, 47, had “made threats against the “Joe Rogan Experience” host on his Instagram profile.” Detectives reviewed the posts and saw that Johnson was en route to Austin, where Rogan lives, “while continuing to make threatening statements,” the spokesperson said.

Detectives contacted the podcaster who claimed he never interacted with Johnson and felt threatened by Liver King’s online posts. The spokesperson said officials obtained an arrest warrant for Johnson and detained the social media star at an Austin hotel.

Johnson on Monday posted an Instagram video of himself bear-crawling as he calls out Rogan: “I challenge you man-to-man to a fight.” Johnson rambled in his video about his weight, the stakes of this would-be battle and the “real tension” he has with Rogan. Johnson continued to post Instagram videos — some still name-dropping Rogan and some filmed while he’s in a shower — throughout the day, even after he arrived at the hotel in Austin.

Johnson’s Instagram account also posted several lengthy videos documenting the moments prior to his arrest Tuesday. In one clip, Johnson can be seen getting dressed in a burgundy sweatsuit, including a hoodie featuring a design that essentially pits his brand logo against that of the “Joe Rogan Experience.” Videos also see Johnson haphazardly picking up dishes and various items — including a screwdriver and a multi-tool — as he instructs someone off-camera to keep recording.

A second video shows Johnson huddling and praying with his family in the hotel room before officers escort him down a hallway and into an elevator. In another video posted to Johnson’s account, the person off-screen explains to the influencer’s wife that her husband will be “in and out” and will “need to see a judge before he is dismissed.” They exit the hotel and approach the law enforcement vehicle, where officers are seen securing Johnson into the back seat.

In court documents reviewed by The Times on Friday, a detective noted that Johnson’s social media posts featured “long rants that didn’t appear to make much sense.”

“Affiant knows that behavior such as that can indicate some sort of mental health episode, indicating that Brian Johnson could be a danger to himself and others,” the detective wrote before detailing other videos from Johnson that raised concern.

The detective also wrote of their correspondences with Rogan, who spoke of Johnson’s alleged “significant drug issue” and said he feels “Johnson appears to be significantly unstable and seems like he needs help,” according to the court filing.

The Liver King has amassed millions of followers on social media for his extreme lifestyle

Brian Johnson, known as the Liver King on TikTok, gained millions of followers by showcasing his extreme lifestyle online, which included eating testicles and adhering to nine strict rules he claimed were essential for a healthy life.

He heavily promoted the ‘ancestral’ way of living, claiming it cured his two sons of respiratory issues and allergies that frequently required hospital treatment.

Johnson insisted that living like our ancestors was the secret to his sculpted physique, denying steroid use in interviews. However, it later came to light that the fitness influencer was splashing out around $11,000 per month on performance-enhancing drugs.

He posted a public apology video admitting to his steroid use, sparking a massive public backlash and leaving fans questioning the authenticity of the star.

Despite the controversy, he still boasts a massive social media following, with an impressive six million followers on TikTok, nearly three million on Instagram, and over one million YouTube subscribers.

A new Netflix documentary delves into the controversy surrounding the Liver King and directly addresses the steroid scandal head-on. However, it fails to mention a £60,000 cosmetic surgery lie told by the star that had a big impact on fan trust, reports Surrey Live.

The Liver King left his followers baffled after he joked about having ab implants during a chat on the Full Send podcast. He later clarified on his website that the “experimental procedure” he claimed to have undergone was just a gag.

“Personally, I thought it was funny AF…. they actually believed me, which made it even funnier,” the Liver King shared on his website. “You should’ve seen the subprimal look on their faces thinking ‘AlI have to do is get implants?’ I sure as s*** never thought ‘the joke’ a.k.a the fake news would spread the way that it did. It has officially gotten out of hand… and I f****** love it!”

He continued: “Turns out millions of people believed me too, and started actually believing Liver King has ab implants. To this day, if you Google ‘Ab Implants’ I remain the poster child.”

In a bid to regain his fans’ trust, he visited plastic surgeon Dr Daniel Barrett and shared a video of the doctor examining his abs to confirm whether or not they were natural.

Untold: The Liver King is now streaming on Netflix

Brian Johnson, also known as the Liver King, was a huge star on social media

A TikToker who goes by the moniker Liver King faced intense backlash after he confessed to steroid use, despite having promoted a physique he claimed was achievable through an ‘ancestral’ way of living that included consuming testicles.

He amassed millions of fans by showing off his raw meat-based diet, extreme fitness regime, and adherence to traditional gender roles, while marketing his range of supplements and advocating for nine fundamental life pillars: sleep, eat, move, shield, connect, cold, sun, fight, and bond.

Johnson, who repeatedly denied he had used steroids, was forced to issue a public apology following the leak of an email revealing his $11,000 monthly spend on performance-enhancing drugs. He subsequently owned up on YouTube, saying: “Yes, I’ve done steroids, and yes, I’m on steroids.”

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The polarising influencer, whose real name is Brian Johnson, is now at the centre of a brand-new Netflix documentary that launched today (May 13). The film presents interviews with Johnson himself, his family, and those who supported him as he built up his enterprise.

The documentary’s synopsis reads: “He built a supplement empire by devouring raw meat on social media. And he had the muscles to prove it. But really, how did the Liver King get so huge?”

Where is the Liver King now?

Some of his followers may have had their trust in their fitness idol shaken after he disclosed using steroids, yet he still commands a massive audience on social media despite infrequent posts. He currently holds a whopping 6.1m TikTok followers, 2.9 million on Instagram, and has crossed the 1 million mark on YouTube, reports Surrey Live.

The documentary’s emotional climax features Johnson as he undergoes a transformation in outlook from his previously “extreme” regimen. He’s now cut out steroids and radically increased his consumption of fruits and vegetables.

In a memorable sequence, he’s shown expressing gratitude to each strawberry before consuming it.

“I was so convinced all of the carnivore stuff, well, that’s all you needed to really kick ass in life. I’m convinced now I was starving myself,” he reflects. “I guess I want the world to know that I was wrong. I got all of it wrong… There’s a lot more that I don’t know than I do know.

“An extreme approach to anything probably ain’t f****** working out. That’s probably the cautionary tale.”

The social media star has already plotted out his future venture, and is shown on camera revealing his plans for a series of 302 health and fitness retreats in a ranch-like setting.

Responses to the Netflix documentary are split so far. One disgruntled subscriber said: “Netflix, this might be rock bottom for you,” while another vented: “I hate that Netflix gave him a platform. So sick.”

UNTOLD: The Liver King is now streaming on Netflix