After 2 months, the first pig heart transplant patient dies

The first person to have a heart transplant from a genetically modified pig died two months after the surgery, according to the hospital that performed it.

The surgery sparked expectations that breakthroughs in cross-species organ donation will one day relieve the chronic lack of human organs available for donation, and the team behind it said they are still enthusiastic about the operation’s future success.

According to a statement from the University of Maryland Medical System, David Bennett, 57, received his transplant on January 7 and died on March 8.

“His condition began deteriorating several days ago. After it became clear that he would not recover, he was given compassionate palliative care. He was able to communicate with his family during his final hours,” the statement said.

Following surgery, the transplanted heart had performed very well for several weeks without any signs of rejection, the hospital statement added.

Bennett spent time with his family following his operation, went to physical therapy, watched the Super Bowl, and expressed a strong desire to return home to visit his dog Lucky.

“He was a courageous and wonderful patient who fought to the very end. We send our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones “According to Bartley Griffith, the procedure’s main surgeon.

Bennett arrived at the hospital in Maryland, a state in the eastern United States, in October 2021. He was confined to his bed and placed on a life support machine. He had been suspended indefinitely for a human transplant, a decision that is generally made when the recipient’s underlying health is extremely poor.

“Learning that the genetically modified pig heart can operate well within the human body provided the immune system is appropriately suppressed has given us vital insights. We remain optimistic and plan on continuing our work in future clinical trials,” said Muhammad Mohiuddin, director of the university’s cardiac xenotransplantation programme.

Bennett was also convicted of stabbing a man many times in 1988, leaving the victim paralysed and requiring the use of a wheelchair before he died in 2005, according to US media reports. Medical ethicists believe that a person’s criminal history should have no influence on how they are treated in the future.

Also Read: Live pig heart transplanted into a human patient: US