Patient who received kidney pig during transplant discharged

After receiving a kidney transplant from a genetically engineered pig on Thursday, Rick Slayman became the first person to be released from the hospital following the procedure—a medical breakthrough that offers hope to thousands of patients waiting on organ transplant waiting lists. 

Slayman left the hospital two weeks after the surgery, indicating that the procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) was declared successful and that xenotransplantation may be able to help with the acute organ shortage issue.

At 62, Slayman conveyed his immense happiness and appreciation for the transformative procedure.

“This moment – leaving the hospital today with one of the cleanest bills of health I’ve had in a long time – is one I wished would come for many years. Now, it’s a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life,” he stated.

Slayman is excited about starting over and being free of the dialysis that negatively impacted his quality of life because of his type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. 

After unsuccessful attempts using organs from genetically modified pigs, the procedure represents a significant milestone. Slayman's primary kidney doctor, Dr. Winfred Williams, associate chief of the nephrology section at MGH, commended his patient's bravery. 

69 genetic changes were made to the pig kidney, created by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based eGenesis, in order to improve its compatibility with human systems and reduce the possibility of infection from pig retroviruses.

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