Afrigather Rick Slayman, the world’s first residing recipient of a genetically edited pig kidney transplant, was discharged from the hospital Wednesday, two weeks after his operation, Massachusetts Normal Hospital stated in an announcement.
“He’s recovering nicely and can proceed to recuperate at house together with his household,” the hospital stated on X, previously Twitter.
Learn additionally: First transplant of pig heart to man raises hope for organ swap
In an announcement issued by the hospital, Slayman stated, “This second – leaving the hospital right now with one of many cleanest payments of well being I’ve had in a very long time – is one I needed would come for a few years. Now, it’s a actuality and one of many happiest moments of my life.”
Slayman, a 62-year-old supervisor with the Massachusetts Division of Transportation, had beforehand stated his medical doctors instructed that he strive a pig kidney when he was recognized with end-stage kidney illness final yr, in line with a CNN report.
His medical doctors stated final month that they thought Slayman’s new kidney might final years but additionally acknowledged that there are a lot of unknowns in animal-to-human transplants.
His surgical procedure is the third such xenotransplant of a pig organ right into a residing human. The primary two transplants have been hearts transplanted into residing sufferers that had run out of different transplant choices. The organs have been transplanted beneath particular guidelines that allow compassionate use of experimental therapies for sufferers in particularly dire conditions. Each sufferers died weeks after receiving their organs.
Slayman stated he was grateful for the response to his surgical procedure, particularly from different sufferers who’re ready for a kidney transplant.
The necessity for organs far outstrips the quantity which might be obtainable. Each day 17 individuals die within the U.S. ready for an organ. Kidneys are the organ in shortest provide. In line with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Community, roughly 27,000 kidneys have been transplanted in 2023, however practically 89,000 individuals have been on the waitlist for these organs.
“At this time marks a brand new starting not only for me, however for them, as nicely,” Slayman stated within the assertion.
