Richard “Rick” Slayman, the first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, has passed away nearly two months after undergoing the groundbreaking procedure, according to statements from his family and Massachusetts General Hospital, where the surgery took place.
Slayman, aged 62, underwent the historic transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March, with surgeons expressing optimism that the pig kidney would provide him with functional support for at least two years.
In a statement released on Saturday, the transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital expressed profound sadness at Slayman’s passing and extended their heartfelt condolences to his family. They emphasized that they did not indicate that his death was directly related to the transplant procedure.
The First Recipient of a Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Transplant Dies nearly two months after undergoing the procedure.
Hailing from Weymouth, Massachusetts, Slayman made medical history as the first living individual to undergo this pioneering transplant.
Prior to this, pig kidneys had been transplanted into brain-dead donors temporarily. Additionally, two men had received heart transplants from pigs, though unfortunately, both had succumbed within months of the surgeries.
Slayman had previously undergone a kidney transplant at the same hospital in 2018. However, last year, complications arose, leading to signs of kidney failure and necessitating his return to dialysis.
When further complications from dialysis emerged, requiring frequent medical interventions, his medical team proposed the innovative approach of a pig kidney transplant.
