1st person to receive pig kidney transplant dies nearly 2 months later

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

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BOSTON – The first person to receive a genetically-modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure.

Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62. Surgeons said they believed the pig kidney would last for at least two years.

But on Saturday, his family and the hospital that performed the surgery confirmed the news of his passing. 

Here’s what’s known about Slayman’s pig kidney transplant: 

Pig kidney transplant death

The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital on Saturday said in a statement it was deeply saddened by Slayman’s passing and offered condolences to his family. 

They said they didn’t have any indication that he died as a result of the transplant.

The Weymouth, Massachusetts, man was the first living person to have the procedure. 

Previously, pig kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two men received heart transplants from pigs, although both died within months.

Slayman, who has been living with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for many years, had a kidney transplant from a human donor at the hospital in 2018. But he had to go back on dialysis last year when it showed signs of failure. 

When dialysis complications arose and required frequent procedures, his doctors suggested a pig kidney transplant.

In a statement, Slayman’s family thanked his doctors.

“Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts,” the statement said.

They said Slayman underwent the surgery in part to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive.

“Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever,” the statement said.

What is xenotransplantation? 

Xenotransplantation refers to healing human patients with cells, tissues or organs from animals. 

Such efforts have long failed because the human immune system immediately destroys foreign animal tissue. 

Recent attempts have involved pigs that have been modified, so their organs are more human-like.

More than 100,000 people are on the national waiting list for a transplant, most of them kidney patients, and thousands die every year before their turn comes.

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.