First man to receive pig kidney transplant dies at age 62

The first man to receive a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig has died two months after the operation, the hospital where it was performed announced.

Richard “Rick” Suleiman, 62, had end-stage kidney disease before undergoing surgery in March.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) said Sunday there was no indication that the patient's death was caused by the transplant procedure.

Other organ transplants from genetically modified pigs have failed in the past, but Suleiman's operation was hailed as a historic breakthrough.

In addition to kidney disease, Suleiman also suffered from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. He received a human kidney transplant in 2018, but it began to fail five years later.

Following his pig kidney transplant surgery on March 16, the new organ is said to be functioning well and doctors have confirmed he will no longer require dialysis.

“Dr. Suleiman will forever remain a beacon of hope for countless transplant patients around the world, and we are deeply grateful for his faith and drive to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” MGH said in a statement.

Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another.

MGH said it was “deeply saddened” by his sudden death and offered its condolences to his family.

Suleiman's relatives said his story was inspirational.

“Rick said one of his reasons for having the surgery was to give hope to the thousands of people who need transplants to survive,” officials said.

“Rick achieved that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever.”

“To us, Rick was a kind-hearted man with a quick wit, a great sense of humor and a devotion to his family, friends and colleagues,” they added.

Although Suleiman received the first pig kidney to be transplanted into a human, it is not the first pig organ to be used in a transplant operation.

Two other patients received pig heart transplants, but the operations were unsuccessful, as the recipients died after a few weeks.

In one case, there were signs that the patient's immune system had rejected the organ, a common risk in transplants.