BOSTON (AP) — The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died almost two months after he underwent the process, his household and the hospital that carried out the surgical procedure mentioned Saturday.
Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts Common Hospital in March on the age of 62. Surgeons mentioned they believed the pig kidney would final for not less than two years.
The transplant group at Massachusetts Common Hospital mentioned in an announcement it was deeply saddened by Slayman’s passing and supplied condolences to his household. They mentioned they didn’t have any indication that he died because of the transplant.
The Weymouth, Massachusetts, man was the primary residing individual to have the process. Beforehand, pig kidneys had been briefly transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two males acquired coronary heart transplants from pigs, though each died inside months.
Slayman had a kidney transplant on the hospital in 2018, however he had to return on dialysis final yr when it confirmed indicators of failure. When dialysis problems arose requiring frequent procedures, his docs prompt a pig kidney transplant.
In an announcement, Slayman’s household thanked his docs.
“Their huge efforts main the xenotransplant gave our household seven extra weeks with Rick, and our recollections made throughout that point will stay in our minds and hearts,” the assertion mentioned.
They mentioned Slayman underwent the surgical procedure partly to supply hope for the hundreds of people that want a transplant to outlive.
“Rick achieved that aim and his hope and optimism will endure eternally,” the assertion mentioned.
Xenotransplantation refers to therapeutic human sufferers with cells, tissues or organs from animals. Such efforts lengthy failed as a result of the human immune system instantly destroyed international animal tissue. Current makes an attempt have concerned pigs which have been modified so their organs are extra humanlike.
Greater than 100,000 persons are on the nationwide ready listing for a transplant, most of them kidney sufferers, and hundreds die yearly earlier than their flip comes.
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