A Massachusetts man has died nearly two months after making history as the first recipient of a genetically engineered pig kidney transplant, his family and the hospital where he performed the surgery announced Saturday.
Richard Suleiman, 62, underwent transplant surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in March, when surgeons predicted the pig kidney would last at least two years.
The hospital’s transplant team said in a statement that it was deeply saddened by Suleiman’s death and offered its condolences to his family. The hospital said there was no sign that the patient died as a result of the transplant.
Suleiman was the first survivor to undergo the procedure, but pig kidneys had previously been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two men received heart transplants from pigs, but both died within a few months.
Massachusetts man discharged from hospital after first successful pig kidney transplant
Richard Suleiman (second from right) has died almost two months after making history as the first recipient of a genetically engineered pig kidney transplant. (Courtesy of Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
After undergoing a kidney transplant at the hospital in 2018, Suleiman had to undergo dialysis again last year after showing signs of dialysis failure. Then, as dialysis complications developed and required frequent procedures, her doctors suggested a pig kidney transplant.
Suleiman’s family thanked doctors for prolonging his life.
“Thanks to their hard work leading the xenotransplant, our family was able to spend an additional seven weeks with Rick, and the memories made during that time will remain in our hearts and minds.” the family said in a statement.
According to his family, Suleiman underwent the surgery in part to give hope to the thousands of people who need transplants to survive.
Massachusetts man successfully undergoes pig kidney transplant: ‘uncharted territory’
Mr. Richard Suleiman with (from left to right) Dr. Leo Riera, Director of Renal Transplant Medicine, Dr. Nehel Elias, Interim Director of Transplant Surgery, Mr. Faren, his partner, and Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, Director of Legorreta Clinical Transplant Center. (Courtesy of Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
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“Rick achieved that goal and his hope and optimism will last forever,” his family said.
Xenotransplantation refers to the use of animal cells, tissues, and organs to cure human patients. These attempts were unsuccessful for a long time because the human immune system quickly destroys foreign animal tissue. Recent efforts include modified pigs whose organs more closely resemble those of humans.
More than 100,000 people are on the transplant waiting list nationwide, most of them kidney patients. Each year, thousands of people die before receiving a transplant.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
