First Pig Kidney Transplant Patient Dies, Cause Unrelated to Transplant

The first recipient of a genetically engineered pig kidney transplant, died nearly two months later, as disclosed by his family and Massachusetts General Hospital on Saturday.

The healthcare facility performed the breakthrough transplant on 62-year-old Richard Slayman in March. Surgeons expected the pig kidney to last two years.

The hospital's transplant team mourned Slayman's death. Doctors stated that his death had nothing to do with the pig kidney transplant, according to ABC News.

During his transplant, the hospital said Slayman, from Weymouth, suffers from Type 2 hypertension and diabetes for years that impacted his kidney. A kidney donation from a deceased donor at Massachusetts General Hospital in December 2018 ended years of dialysis.

However, problems five years later caused his transplanted kidney to fail. In May 2023, Slayman commenced dialysis, affecting his quality of life, the hospital said.

First Pig Kidney Transplant Recipient Honored

Massachusetts General Hospital thanked Slayman for his dedication to xenotransplantation, calling him a symbol of hope for transplant patients worldwide. Slayman's family also thanked his medical team for the extra time they spent with him after the xenotransplant.

Slayman's family said the success of the pig kidney transplant procedure gave hundreds of transplant patients hope and will continue to inspire them, per Fox News.

According to The Washington Post, following his xenotransplantation, the patient was thrilled to leave the hospital in April and spend more time with his family, since he did not need to undergo dialysis.

Xenotransplantation procedure treats humans using animal cells, tissues, or organs. Recent advances, such as pig organ alterations to make them more human-compatible, may help overcome immunological rejection.

Despite medical advances, over 100,000 kidney patients are on the national waiting list for organ transplants, and hundreds die each year.

In 2022, a recipient of a pig heart transplant died two months after undergoing the groundbreaking procedure, per a report from TechTimes. David Bennet Sr., 57, was the first US patient to have a pig-to-human heart transplant. Researchers praised the technique and noted its potential lessons for future uses.

Pig Liver Transplant Recipient in China

In March, a Chinese patient received the first gene-edited pig liver transplant. Although the transplant was complicated, the patient showed no organ rejection, making the operation a success.

Chinese researchers performed the first gene-edited pig liver transplant on a person. China's Air Force Medical University used a genetically engineered pig liver to eradicate organ rejection genes.

The liver transplant procedure was conducted on a brain-dead patient, who indicated without rejection 96 hours after surgery.

The success of Xenotransplantation procedures indicated that organ transplantation technology is improving as scientists find ways to innovate to save more lives in the future from serious diseases. However, the deaths of some organ recipients cast doubt over its safety.