World First Pig Kidney Transplant Patient Discharged From Hospital

The recipient of the world’s first pig kidney transplant, Rick Slayman, 62, was discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital on Wednesday.

This was coming nearly two weeks after his surgery.

According to the hospital, Slayman, will continue his recovery at home in Weymouth.

Slayman, speaking after his discharge, 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 wished would come for many years. Now, it’s a reality and one of the happiest moments of my life,”

He went on to thank all the doctors and nurses who cared for him.

“The care I received was exceptional, and I trust the physicians of the Mass General Brigham health system with my life. I’m excited to resume spending time with my family, friends, and loved ones free from the burden of dialysis that has affected my quality of life for many years.”

Slayman was living with end-stage kidney disease, along with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, before the transplant on March 21.

He received a human kidney transplant back in 2018, but it started failing five years later.

Mass General said the transplant was the first time a pig kidney was transplanted into a living human patient.

The kidney, according to the hospital, was donated by eGenesis in Cambridge and was genetically edited to remove harmful pig genes. Certain human genes were then added to improve its compatibility.