Rick Slayman, who received a genetically edited pig kidney transplant, has been discharged from the hospital, making him the world’s first living recipient of this innovative procedure.
According to a report from CNN, Slayman left the hospital on Wednesday, just two weeks after the surgery, as confirmed by Massachusetts General Hospital.
In a statement by the hospital, it was mentioned that Slayman is recovering successfully and will continue his recuperation at home surrounded by his family.
Expressing his joy, Slayman shared in the hospital’s statement, “Leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time is a moment I’ve been hoping for many years. It is now a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life.”
Slayman, a 62-year-old manager at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, had agreed to undergo the pig kidney transplant after his doctors recommended it when he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease last year.
Although his medical team believes that Slayman’s new kidney could last for years, they also acknowledged the uncertainties associated with animal-to-human transplants.
Notably, Slayman’s surgery marks the third xenotransplant of a pig organ into a living human, following two successful heart transplants in patients who had exhausted all other options for cardiac transplantation.
This groundbreaking procedure was conducted under specific regulations that allow the compassionate use of experimental therapies for critically ill patients. Tragically, both previous patients who underwent this experimental treatment passed away a few weeks after the procedure.
Expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support following his surgery, particularly from fellow patients awaiting kidney transplants, Slayman stated, “Today signifies a new chapter, not only for me but also for them.”