The first patient who received a pig kidney transplant died almost two months after the history-making surgery. Massachusetts General Hospital, in March, carried out the surgery of transplanting a genetically-engineered pig kidney to Rick Slayman, a 62-year-old suffering from end-stage kidney disease.
This surgery was a breakthrough in xenotransplantation, the process of transplanting organs or tissues from one species to another, with the aim of helping solve the worldwide problem of organ shortage, the hospital said. However, it made it clear that Slayman's death was not caused by the transplant, in a statement made Saturday.
Slayman's family felt deep sadness for his unexpected death but was comforted by the fact that his legacy is inspirational. They said the attending physicians and medical team had done so much for them, and thanks to their efforts, they were able to spend quality time with Rick for seven more weeks, and those memories will last for them.
The transplanted kidney came from a pig that has been genetically modified by removing harmful pig genes and adding several human genes to increase its compatibility with humans. Scientists also shut off the porcine endogenous retroviruses within the donor pig to avoid the risk of infection in humans.
The hospital said it was saddened by Slayman's death, but there was no indication that it was caused by the recent transplant, adding that Slayman will be remembered for being a beacon of hope for thousands of transplant patients worldwide, and they were deeply grateful for his courage and for helping further the cause of xenotransplantation.
Read also | UNGA votes to override US veto and elevate Palestine's observer status to special
