BOSTON – The recipient of the world’s first prize pig kidney transplant returns home from Massachusetts General Hospital on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after surgery.
The hospital said Rick Slayman, 62, would continue his recovery at his home in Weymouth.
Massachusetts General Hospital
“This moment – leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest checkups I’ve had in a long time – is one I wish I had for many years. Now it’s a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life,” Slayman said in a statement. He then thanked all the doctors and nurses who took care of him. “The care I received was exceptional and I trust the doctors at Mass General Brigham Health System with my life. I am thrilled to be able to start spending time again with family, friends, and loved ones, free from the burden of dialysis that has affected my life. quality of life for many years. »
A transplant, the first of its kind
At the time of the transplant on March 21, Slayman was suffering from end-stage kidney disease, as well as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. He received a human kidney transplant in 2018, but it began to fail five years later.
Mass General said this is the first time a pig kidney has been transplanted into a living human patient. The hospital said the kidney was donated by eGenesis in Cambridge and had been genetically modified to remove harmful porcine genes. Some human genes were then added to improve its compatibility.
“A new start”
Slayman said in his statement that his recovery is “progressing smoothly” and added that he wanted to thank everyone who has sent him well wishes, including other patients awaiting kidney transplants.
“Today marks a new beginning, not only for me, but for them as well,” Slayman said in his statement.
WBZ-News Staff
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