the first person to undergo genetic modification pig kidney transplant The patient was discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital, the hospital announced Wednesday.
Rik Suleiman, 62, had end-stage renal disease before receiving a life-saving transplant on March 16th.
Pig kidneys were gene-edited to increase compatibility with human recipients and eliminate the risk of infection.
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“At this moment, today, I walked out of the hospital with one of them. The cleanest health certificate It’s been a long time since I was able to do something like this – something I’ve wanted to do for years,” Suleiman said in a statement.
“Now it’s real and it’s one of the happiest moments of my life.”
Rik Suleiman, 62, had end-stage renal disease before receiving a life-saving transplant on March 16th. (Courtesy of Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
“I would like to thank everyone in the audience.” Massachusetts General Hospital Everyone who cared for me before and after my historic transplant, especially the Drs. [Winifred] Dr. Williams. [Leonardo] Dr. Riera. [Tatsuo] Mr. Kawai and the countless nurses who took care of me every day of my stay,” he continued.
“The care I received was exceptional and I trust it.” [the] To the physicians of the Massachusetts Brigham Health System, with my life. ”
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Suleiman added: “I am excited to be free from the burden of dialysis, which has affected my quality of life for many years, and to be able to spend time with my family, friends and loved ones again…My recovery is going well. We are making progress, and we ask that you respect our privacy at this time.” time. “
Suleiman received his first kidney transplant from a human donor in 2017.
In May 2023, his organs started failing again and he underwent dialysis.
Mr. Suleiman is seated, and from left to right are Dr. Leo Riera, medical director of kidney transplants. Dr. Naher Elias, Interim Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery; Faren, Suleiman’s partner. Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, director of the Legorreta Clinical Transplant Tolerance Center; (Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
“This successful transplant is the culmination of the efforts of thousands of people. scientists and doctors for decades,” Tatsuo Kawai, MD, director of the Legorreta Center for Clinical Transplant Tolerance at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), said in a press release after the surgery.
“Today, this moment when I can leave the hospital in the best health I’ve had in a long time, is the moment I’ve wanted to come for years.”
“We are honored to play a key role in this milestone. Our hope is that this transplant approach will provide a lifeline to millions of patients around the world suffering from kidney failure.” he also stated.
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Suleiman has been a patient at Mass General Transplant Center for 11 years.
of successful surgery The hospital noted that this was a “historic milestone” in xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs across species.
Suleiman hugs patient advocate Susan Klein before leaving the hospital. (Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
This type of procedure could offer an alternative solution to the global organ shortage.
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More than 100,000 people are currently on waiting lists for organ transplants in the United States, and 17 of them die every day, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
More than 1,400 patients are currently on the kidney transplant waiting list at MGH alone.
Suleiman and from left to right Dr. Elias, Kawai, Riera. (Michelle Rose/Massachusetts General Hospital)
Kidneys top the list of most commonly needed organs, with end-stage kidney disease expected to increase by 29% to 69% by 2030.
MGH previously performed the world’s first human organ transplant, a kidney transplant, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 1954.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to MGH and additional doctors for comment.
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