The man who underwent the pioneering pig kidney transplant procedure has passed away, Massachusetts General Hospital announced.
Richard “Rick” Slayman, aged 62, battled end-stage kidney disease before undergoing the groundbreaking surgery in March.
The hospital stated that there is no evidence linking his death to the transplant. Despite previous failures with organ transplants from genetically modified pigs, Slayman’s procedure was hailed as a significant advancement.
Alongside kidney disease, Slayman grappled with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, and had undergone a human kidney transplant in 2018 which began to fail after five years.
Following his pig kidney transplant, doctors noted his decreased need for dialysis as the new organ functioned effectively.
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Massachusetts General Hospital expressed deep sadness at Slayman’s sudden passing and extended condolences to his family, who described him as an inspiration for others awaiting transplants.
“Mr Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” MGH said in a statement.
Xenotransplantation is the transplanting of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another.
MGH said it was “deeply saddened” at his sudden death and offered condolences to his family.
While Slayman’s case marked the first pig kidney transplant in a human, previous attempts with pig heart transplants were unsuccessful, highlighting the challenges of xenotransplantation.