The first person transplanted with a pig's heart dies

The use of pigs as "organ donors" is not new, since the use of porcine aortic valves are commonly used for their durability

Two months after becoming the first person to receive a pig heart transplant, the American, David Bennett, died on March 8.

This was announced by the University of Maryland Medical Center (where the transplant was performed), through a statement indicating that his condition had begun to deteriorate several days before his death.

Additionally, they added feeling "devastated" by Bennett's death. The surgeon who led the procedure, Bartley Griffith, expressed his condolences to the family and assured that Bennett was a noble and brave patient who fought until the end.

For his part, the director of the cardiac xenotransplantation program at the University of Maryland, Muhammad Mohiuddin, highlighted the invaluable learning that the operation left behind and rescued the information they were able to obtain on the behavior of the heart of a genetically modified pig in a human body.

According to information from the health center, the 58-year-old man managed to spend quality time with his family, watched the Super Bowl, underwent physical therapy sessions, and hoped to return home and reunite with his beloved. lucky dog.

First genetically modified pig heart transplanted into a human

In January 2022, 57-year-old David Bennett became the first person to receive a genetically modified pig heart transplant.

The American suffered from terminal heart disease, so this transplant was his last option. “It was either die or get the transplant,” Bennett said 24 hours before surgery.

For his part, the surgeon, Bartley Griffith, would have assured that with said operation the world of medicine would be closer to resolving the shortage of organs.

According to the organdonor.gov organization, around 17 people die every day in the United States waiting for a donor and more than 100,000 patients are on the waiting list.

Organ donor pigs

The process of using animal organs in people is known as xenotransplantation or heterotransplantation, which consists of transplanting organs, tissues and cells from one species to another.

The use of pigs as " organ donors" is not new, since the use of porcine aortic valves are commonly used for their durability.

Additionally, in 2021, the first kidney transplant from a pig to a person was performed in New York ; however, on that occasion the surgery was performed on a brain-dead patient.

In the case of the pig used for David Bennett's transplant, the animal was genetically modified to suppress the gene that produces a sugar that triggers an immune response in humans.

To carry out this procedure, specialists from the University of Maryland Medical Center had to request permission from the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), which was granted due to his terminal condition.