US surgeons transplant pig kidney into patient

A groundbreaking medical procedure took place in Boston, where surgeons successfully transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into a 62-year-old man who needed a transplant, the New York Times reports.

If the breakthrough is successful, it could bring hope to people who are suffering from kidney failure.

According to the New York Times report, the indications are encouraging so far.

Physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, known as Mass General, have reported that the patient’s condition is steadily improving since the surgery last weekend.

The patient, Mr. Richard ‘Rick’ Slayman of Weymouth, Mass., is recovering well at MGH and is expected to be discharged soon, as stated on the hospital’s website on Thursday.

“The real hero today is the patient, Mr Slayman, as the success of this pioneering surgery, once deemed unimaginable, would not have been possible without his courage and willingness to embark on a journey into uncharted medical territory. As the global medical community celebrates this monumental achievement, Mr. Slayman becomes a beacon of hope for countless individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease and opens a new frontier in organ transplantation,” said Joren C. Madsen, MD, DPhil, Director of the MGH Transplant Center.

The new kidney has already started producing urine, which is an encouraging sign of progress. Punch