The first patient to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig has tragically passed away, two months after the groundbreaking transplant. Richard “Rick” Slayman, 62, underwent the procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and was sent home in March. Slayman’s family expressed gratitude for the extra time they had with him following the transplant.
Suffering from ongoing dialysis complications, Slayman saw the transplant as a way to provide hope for others in need of transplants. Although the cause of his death is not directly linked to the transplant, the medical team at Mass General recognizes Slayman’s legacy as a beacon of hope for transplant patients worldwide.
This historic procedure was Slayman’s second kidney transplant, following his initial transplant from a human donor in 2018. Despite the advances in xenotransplantation techniques, Slayman’s passing underscores the challenges and risks associated with such procedures. The medical community and Slayman’s loved ones mourn the loss of an extraordinary individual.
Vocabulary List:
- Transplant (noun): An operation in which an organ or tissue is removed from one part of a person’s body or from one person’s body and placed in a new position in the same person or in another person.
- Complications (noun): Unforeseen or out-of-the-ordinary challenges or issues that arise during a medical procedure or treatment.
- Legacy (noun): Something handed down from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.
- Xenotransplantation (noun): The transplantation of living cellstissuesor organs from one species to another.
- Beacon (noun): A source of light or inspiration.
- Mourn (verb): To feel or express sorrow or grief.
