In addition to kidney disease, the patient also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
The first patient in the world to whom doctors transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney, died almost two months after the transplant. Doctors say Ric Sleiman's death was not related to an organ transplant.
This is reported by the BBC.
In March 2024, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into the body of Ric Sleiman, a 62-year-old American suffering from end-stage kidney disease.
A US hospital said the operation was a first in the field of xenotransplantation – the transplantation of organs or tissue from one species to another, which is considered a potential solution to the worldwide organ shortage.
On Sunday, May 12, they reported the death of Ric Sleiman, which, however, was not related to the transplant.
“We have no indication that the death was a result of his recent transplant. Mr. Sleiman will forever be considered a beacon of hope for many transplant patients around the world, and we are deeply grateful for his trust and desire to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” said doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
In addition to kidney disease, Sleiman also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension. In 2018, he received a human kidney transplant, but five years later it began to fail.
After a pig kidney transplant on March 16, doctors confirmed that he no longer needed dialysis as the new organ was functioning well.
Relatives of a deceased patient paid tribute to the team of doctors who cared for him.
“Our family is deeply saddened by the sudden death of our beloved Rick, but takes solace in the fact that he was an inspiration to so many people,” his family said in a statement.
The transplanted kidney comes from a pig that has been genetically modified to remove harmful pig genes and add certain human genes to improve compatibility with humans. Without genetic modification, the human body would immediately reject it. Scientists also inactivated endogenous pig retroviruses in the donor animal to eliminate the risk of human infection.
Recall that in the fall of 2023, the second man in the world to receive a pig heart transplant died six weeks after the organ was implanted.
Related topics:
More news
