Rick Slayman has become the first living person to successfully receive a genetically modified pig kidney in a lengthy operation on Saturday, March 16.
According to the statement issued by the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the ‘four hours’ long surgery, “marks a major milestone in the quest to provide more readily available organs to patients," BBC reported.
Slayman was on dialysis for years, and in 2018, he got a human kidney transplant from the same hospital.
But, the transplant failed after 5 years and he had to go back on dialysis in May 2023.
According to his doctors, his ‘prospects were not looking good.’ His blood vessels had been used repeatedly for the dialysis, making it difficult to maintain the dialysis function.
Talking of the breakthrough operation, Slayman said, “I saw it not only as a way to help me, but a way to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive."
The genetically modified pig kidney was provided by eGenesis Cambridge Massachusetts. The genes that could be harmful to humans were removed while certain human genes were added to make it compatible for the recipient.
Dr Tatsuo Kawai, who was in the transplant team said, “Our hope is that this transplant approach will offer a lifeline to millions of patients worldwide who are suffering from kidney failure."
Pig kidneys have previously been put into brain dead people for testing.
The 62-year old Slayman is recovering and doctors are hopeful he will leave hospital soon.
