Pig Kidney xenotransplant patient dies 2 months later

The 1st recipient of genetically updated pig kidney transplant has died about 2 months later with the hospital that performed the surgery adding it did not have any sign the transplant was the cause.

The transplant team at Massachusetts hospital added in a statement it was deeply saddened and offered condolences to his family.

Richard Rick Slayman had transplant at Massachusetts general hospital in March at age of 62. Surgeons added they believed the pig kidney would last for 2 years.

On Saturday his family and the hospital that performed surgery confirmed Slayman death.

Slayman had a kidney transplant at hospital in 2018 but had to go back on dialysis last year when is show symptoms of failure.

Dialysis complications arise requiring frequent procedures his doctors suggested the pig kidney transplant.

Slayman was fist living person to have procedure.

Pig Kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain dead recipients as experiment.

2 men received heart transplants from pigs both died after various months.

Xenotransplantation refers to healing human patients with cells tissues or organs from animal. Efforts long failed the human immune system immediately destroyed foreign animal tissue.Recent tried have involved pigs have been modified so their organs are more like those of humans.

Slayman family thanked his doctors ” Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick and memories made during that time will remain in our minds and heart”

They said ” Slayman underwent surgery in part to provide hope for thousands of people who need transplant to survive.Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever”

In April New Jersey woman Lisa Pisal get a genetically modified pig kidney as well as mechanical pump to keep her heart beating.