In a groundbreaking medical milestone, a man in Massachusetts has become the first person to receive a pig kidney transplant. This major development comes as scientists have been working on genetically engineered pigs to address the shortage of human organs available for transplant surgeries.
Richard Slayman, the patient who underwent the historic pig kidney transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital, had a history of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney failure. Slayman consented to the operation after facing complications with dialysis.
The kidney used in the transplant came from eGenesis, a biotech company that specializes in using CRISPR technology to make pig organs suitable for human recipients. Slayman received antibody-based treatments and immune-suppressing drugs to prevent rejection of the pig organ.
Several proof-of-concept experiments have been conducted with pig organs prior to this successful kidney transplant, including a double-kidney transplant in a brain-dead patient. The success of Slayman’s procedure has raised hope for the future of using pig organs for transplants on a larger scale.
Surgeons and scientists involved in the transplant believe that this breakthrough could help mitigate the organ shortage problem and improve health equity for all patients in need of transplants. With further advancements in genetic engineering and medical technology, pig organ transplants could become a common practice in the future, offering hope to those waiting for life-saving organ donations.