According to a statement from the hospital, Slayman, who has been dealing with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension for several years, is recovering well after the transplant and is expected to be discharged soon.
Slayman received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor in December 2018 after undergoing seven years of dialysis therapy. The transplant was performed at MGH by Dr. Kawai. However, the donated kidney began to fail about five years later, leading Slayman to resume dialysis in May 2023.
“I saw it not only as a way to help me, but a way to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” Slayman said in a press release following the transplant.
This latest procedure marks a significant advancement in efforts to produce genetically modified pigs capable of supplying kidneys, hearts, livers, and other organs to address the organ shortage for transplant patients.
Dr. Tatsuo Kawai, the hospital’s director for clinical transplant tolerance, expressed hope that the transplantation procedure would serve as a lifeline for millions of people worldwide who are grappling with kidney failure.
