In an unusual medical case, the first person to successfully transplant a kidney from a genetically modified pig was doing so well that the hospital released him on Wednesday (April 3), barely weeks after the breakthrough surgery.
The successful pig kidney transplant represents a significant breakthrough in the field of medicine, and it is expected to usher in a new era of cross-species organ transplantation.
The doctors had already performed two organ transplants in which the organs of genetically engineered pigs were transplanted to humans. Nonetheless, both instances failed. In both cases, the genetically engineered pigs’ hearts were transplanted into people, but neither patient survived.
The two patients who received pig hearts died within a few weeks following the operation. One patient’s symptoms showed that his immune system had rejected the organ.
The pig’s kidney, which was transplanted into 62-year-old Richard Slayman, is functioning properly
According to specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital, the pig’s kidney, which was transplanted into 62-year-old Richard Slayman, is functioning properly, eliminating waste from the blood, generating urine, and balancing the body’s fluids.
“This moment — leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time — is one I wished would come for many years,” Slayman said, in a statement released by the hospital. “Now it’s a reality,” he remarked.
The individual claimed to have received “exceptional care” and expressed gratitude to his nurses, physicians, and all those who supported him.
“Today marks a new beginning, not just for me, but for them as well,” said Slayman.
Dr. David Klassen, chief medical officer of the United Network for Organ Sharing, which manages the nation’s organ transplant system, stated that surgery has enhanced the possibility of animal-to-human organ transplants, also known as xenotransplantation.
“Though much work remains to be done, I think the potential of this to benefit a large number of patients will be realized, and that was a question mark hovering over the field,” Dr. Klassen stated.
However, if the surgery is finally successful, it will need to be replicated in multiple patients and examined in various clinical trials before xenotransplants become publicly available.
He stated that if these transplants are scaled up and integrated into the healthcare system, surgeons will face “daunting” logistical issues, such as ensuring an adequate supply of organs from modified animals.
