First patient to receive pig kidney transplant discharged in Boston

A 62-year-old man, who became the first patient to receive a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig on March 16, was discharged from hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in what has represented a milestone in medicine.

In Richard Slayman’s four-hour operation, surgeons worked meticulously to ensure the transplant was a success. After the operation, Slayman was closely monitored by the medical team to ensure that his body accepted the new organ.

According to doctors, the transplanted kidney is functioning properly, producing urine, removing waste products from the blood, balancing body fluids and performing other key functions.

Before the Slayman case, attempts to transplant organs from genetically modified pigs had been reported to have failed. Two patients who received pig hearts died shortly afterward. However, the success of Slayman’s operation has offered new hope.

The patient, for his part, expressed his gratitude to his doctors and to everyone who has supported him during this process through a statement.

“This moment – ​​leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest clean bill of health I have had in a long time – is one I have looked forward to for many years. Now it is a reality and one of the happiest times of my life,” said Slayman.

In addition, the transplant patient dedicated a few words to patients waiting for a kidney transplant: “Today marks a new beginning not only for me, but also for them.”

Despite the initial success, experts have warned that it is still uncertain whether Slayman’s body will end up rejecting the transplanted organ. More operations and clinical studies will be required so that xenotransplants, which are transplants between different species, are fully available.

With information from EFE

Keep reading:
– They successfully transplant genetically modified pig kidneys into a human
– Virus found in the heart of a pig transplanted to a man who died 2 months after the operation
– Patient who received a pig heart transplant in Maryland dies two months later