Pig-Kidney transplant patient dies nearly two months after surgery.

The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure, according to his family and the hospital that performed the surgery.

Richard "Rick" Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62. Surgeons said they believed the pig kidney would last for at least two years.

The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement it was deeply saddened by Mr Slayman's passing and offered condolences to his family.

It said it had no indication he died as a result of the transplant.

The Massachusetts man was the first living person to have the procedure.

Previously, pig kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two men received heart transplants from pigs, although both died within months.

Mr Slayman had a kidney transplant at the hospital in 2018.

He went back on dialysis last year when it showed signs of failure. When dialysis complications arose requiring frequent procedures, his doctors suggested a pig kidney transplant.

In a statement, Mr Slayman's family thanked his doctors.

Source: www.abc.net.au

Share: