Man with transplanted pig kidney dies nearly two months after procedure

The first ever person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant died approximately two months after undergoing the medical procedure, said his family and the hospital that performed his surgery in a statement on Saturday (May 11).

Richard “Rick” Slayman underwent the transplant in March this year at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The team of surgeons that performed the procedure at the hospital said that they were deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Slayman and that they so far have no indication if it was a result of the recent transplant.

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"Mass General is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant. Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Slayman’s family and loved ones as they remember an extraordinary person whose generosity and kindness touched all who knew him," the hospital wrote in a post on its official X account.

The 62-year-old was suffering from end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) when he underwent the procedure on March 16.

He was also a Type 2 diabetic and had previously received a kidney transplant in the year 2018.

However, five years later, the organ began to fail and he had been on dialysis since then.

Slayman had okayed getting the pig kidney transplanted stating that it would not only help him but also generate hope for "the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive”.

Explaining the procedure carried out by the surgeons, the hospital had said that the pig kidney which was used in the transplant was genetically edited to ensure harmful pig genes were removed from the organ.

It said that certain human genes were also added to it in order to make it fit for the human body.

It is pertinent to note that recentlypig hearts were transplanted into two patients in the United States. However, both survived only less than two months.

(With inputs from agencies)