Genetically modified pig kidney transplanted into patient

In a statement from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, it was reported that 62-year-old Richard Slayman, who underwent a genetically modified pig kidney transplant on March 16, is recovering well and is expected to be discharged soon.

The statement quoted Slayman as saying, "I have been a patient here for 11 years, and when my doctors mentioned that I could have a transplant, I thought it would give hope not only to myself but to thousands of people who need organ transplants to survive."

Dr. Tatsuo Kawai emphasized that they hope this transplant procedure will extend a helping hand to millions of people suffering from kidney failure.

TEMPORARILY ATTEMPTED IN 2022

The treatment known as "xenotransplantation," which involves transplanting animal cells, tissues, or organs into humans waiting for organ donations, was previously attempted in May 2022 when pig kidneys were temporarily transplanted into two brain-dead patients.

In a hospital in the US state of Maryland, 57-year-old David Bennett, who received the first pig heart transplant on January 7, 2022, passed away 2 months after the operation.

At the same hospital, a second pig-to-human heart transplant surgery was performed on September 20, 2023, and 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette, who received the transplant, lost his life 6 weeks after the operation.

News Source: AA