- Richard Slayman receives historic kidney transplant from genetically modified swine
- Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital marks milestone in xenotransplantation
- Success offers hope for addressing global organ shortage crisis
Chronic kidney disease sufferer Richard “Rick” Slayman is looking forward to recovering from his “historic transplant” and spending time with his loved ones without the interruption of dialysis.
The hospital has released the initial recipient of a kidney transplant derived from a genetically modified swine.
Richard “Rick” Slayman was the first person in history to receive the organ in March from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, following a four-hour operation.
End-stage renal failure, a chronic condition in which the kidneys can no longer operate independently, affects the 62-year-old individual.
On Wednesday, he said, “This moment, leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time, is one I’ve wished would come for many years.
It is currently a reality and among the happiest times of my existence.
He expressed gratitude to the medical personnel who attended to him before and after his “historic transplant.”
Furthermore, he stated, “I am ecstatic to return to spending time with my family, friends, and loved ones without the dialysis burden that has for so long diminished my quality of life.
“I greatly appreciate the People who have read my story and expressed their support, in particular those who are awaiting a kidney transplant.” “Today signifies a fresh start not only for myself but also for them.”
“Everyone was filled with immense joy,” Dr. Leonardo Riella, the medical director for kidney transplantation at the hospital, told NBC10 Boston.
The successful operation has sparked optimism that xenotransplantation, or the transfer of organs from animals to humans, could help alleviate the worldwide organ shortage.
“Sadly, there are insufficient kidneys available to treat the thousands of patients who need them,” he explained.
It would be an enormous relief if they could receive a kidney in a timely fashion before becoming too ill to undergo the most effective treatment for kidney disease, a kidney transplant.
The kidney transplanted into Mr. Slayman was altered by eGenesis, a Massachusetts-based company.
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To increase compatibility with humans, detrimental pig genes were eliminated, and specific human genes were introduced via technologically enhanced genetic editing.
Scientists have endeavoured to genetically modify piglets since the early 2000s to decrease the likelihood that the human immune system will reject the transplant.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reports that over 100,000 individuals in the United States are awaiting an organ transplant. Data also indicates that approximately seventeen individuals perish daily while awaiting a transplant, with the kidney being the most frequently required organ.
The kidney transplant waiting list in the United Kingdom currently comprises over 5,200 individuals, surpassing the annual volume of 3,300 transplants performed, as reported by the charity Kidney Research.
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