Pig kidney transplanted into man for first time ever at Massachusetts General Hospital

BOSTON – For nan first clip ever, surgeons astatine Massachusetts General Hospital successful Boston transplanted a pig kidney into a surviving quality patient.

Mass General said Thursday nan process was nan first successful process of its benignant successful nan world.

The kidney recipient was identified arsenic 62-year-old Rick Slayman of Weymouth. He is recovering good astatine Mass General and nan infirmary expects him to beryllium discharged soon. 

Slayman was suffering from end-stage kidney illness astatine nan clip of nan transplant.

Nationwide organ shortage

According to nan hospital, nan process was a "major milestone successful nan quest to supply much readily disposable organs to patients."

The United Network for Organ Sharing says much than 100,000 group successful nan U.S. are waiting for an organ transplant. Seventeen group dice each time connected mean waiting for a transplant, nan statement said.

"Mass General Brigham researchers and clinicians are perpetually pushing nan boundaries of subject to toggle shape medicine and lick important wellness issues facing our patients successful their regular lives," said Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham. "Nearly 7 decades aft nan first successful kidney transplant, our clinicians person erstwhile again demonstrated our commitment to provide innovative treatments and help easiness nan load of illness for our patients and others astir nan world."

The pig kidney was provided by eGenesis successful Cambridge. It was genetically edited to region harmful pig genes. Certain quality genes were past added to amended its compatibility, nan infirmary said.

Kidney recipient nan "real hero"

Joren Madsen, head of nan MGH Transplant Center, described Slayman arsenic "the existent hero."

Slayman has been surviving pinch Type 2 glucosuria and hypertension for galore years, and received a quality kidney transplant successful 2018 aft 7 years of dialysis. About 5 years later, that kidney showed signs of failure.

Surgeons transplant a pig kidney into a surviving quality patient. Massachusetts General Hospital

With constricted options, Slayman was presented pinch nan pros and cons of receiving a pig kidney.

"I saw it not only arsenic a measurement to thief me, but a measurement to supply dream for nan thousands of group who request a transplant to survive," Slayman said.

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