Richard “Rick” Slayman, aged 62, who made medical history as the first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant, has died approximately two months following the groundbreaking procedure, as confirmed by the hospital overseeing the operation.
Suffering from end-stage kidney disease, Slayman underwent the transplant in March, hoping for a new lease on life. Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) announced on Sunday that there were no apparent links between his demise and the transplant itself.
The transplant, which marked a significant milestone in medical science, garnered attention as a potential breakthrough despite past failures in transplanting organs from genetically modified pigs.
In addition to his kidney ailment, Slayman battled Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. His previous human kidney transplant in 2018, though initially successful, began to falter after five years.
Following his pig kidney transplant on March 16, medical professionals reported that Slayman’s need for dialysis had ceased, indicating the successful functioning of the new organ.
In a statement, MGH expressed gratitude for Slayman’s courage and contribution to advancing xenotransplantation, the field of transplanting living cells, tissues, or organs across species boundaries. They hailed him as a symbol of hope for transplant patients worldwide.
