First man to receive pig kidney transplant returns home after successful operation
Richard Slayman says he is ‘excited to resume spending time with family’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The world’s first patient to receive a genetically modified kidney transplant from a pig has been discharged from hospital and is returning home, just two weeks after the groundbreaking surgery.
Richard Slayman, 62, was relieved from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) on Wednesday in a moment that marks a “new beginning”, he said in a statement issued by the hospital.
The patient from Weymouth, Massachusetts was battling end-stage kidney disease. He received the kidney transplant in a four-hour-long operation on 16 March.
His discharge is being hailed as a major landmark for medical science after two previous attempts to transplant organs from genetically modified pigs failed.
The kidney transplanted to Mr Slayman is functioning properly, producing urine, removing waste from the blood and maintaining the balance in the body’s fluids, according to doctors at the hospital.
“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,” he said in the statement. “Now it’s a reality.”
He thanked his physicians, surgeons and nurses for the “exceptional care” he received, saying that going home was "one of the happiest moments" of his life.
“Today marks a new beginning not just for me, but for them as well,” Mr Slayman said.
"I’m excited to resume spending time with my family, friends and loved ones free from the burden of dialysis that has affected my quality of life for many years,” he added.
The kidney came from a pig that was bred with 69 genetic modifications to make it suitable for human transplantation. It was supplied by eGenesis, a Massachusetts biotechnology company who say they removed "harmful pig genes and added certain human genes to improve its compatibility with humans”.
Two previous xenotransplantations – meaning animal-to-human transplantations – from pigs have failed and both patients who received hearts died a few weeks later. The immune system of one of the patients had rejected the organ.
Whether Mr Slayman’s body rejects the kidney is still yet to be seen, doctors have said.
The breakthrough has raised hopes for over 100,000 Americans who are on waiting lists for a kidney transplant and more than 550,000 Americans who have suffered kidney failure, requiring dialysis.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments