In a groundbreaking medical feat, Massachusetts General Hospital has achieved a monumental milestone by completing the world’s first-ever transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney into a human recipient. This revolutionary procedure represents a remarkable stride forward in transplantation science, offering a glimmer of hope to the countless individuals worldwide awaiting organ transplants. The recipient of this historic transplant is Rick Slayman, a resilient 62-year-old from Weymouth, Massachusetts, grappling with end-stage kidney disease.
Having endured the challenges of diabetes and high blood pressure, Mr. Slayman previously underwent a human kidney transplant in 2018, which unfortunately began to falter five years later, necessitating a return to dialysis in 2023. Faced with this setback, Mr. Slayman’s medical team proposed the innovative approach of a pig kidney transplant, a decision he embraced wholeheartedly as a beacon of hope not only for himself but for the countless others awaiting life-saving transplants. Spearheading this transformative surgery was Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, renowned director of the Legorreta Center for Clinical Transplant Tolerance, who ensured meticulous modification of the pig kidney to mirror the size and functionality of its human counterpart, thus ensuring compatibility and effectiveness.