Jakarta –
The University of Maryland Medical Center performed a pig to human heart transplant for the second time on September 20, 2023. This time, the patient who received the transplant was a man named Lawrence Faucette.
The 58 year old man suffers from end-stage heart disease. Faucette said the method, also known as a xenotransplant, was his last hope to stay alive.
It should be noted that the transplanted pig’s heart has undergone genetic engineering, where 10 genes have been modified so that it does not cause a rejection reaction when in the human body.
Previously, a team from the University of Maryland Medical Center had performed the same procedure on David Bennett. Unfortunately, two months after the operation, Bennett died due to heart failure which was not caused by the procedure he underwent.
Here are some facts about Faucette’s pig heart transplant:
Denied Human Heart Transplant
The Navy veteran nearly died from heart failure and medical complications that worsened his condition. He had peripheral vascular disease and internal bleeding complications.
As a result of his serious condition, Faucette was rejected by various human organ donor programs because he did not meet the requirements. He was admitted to UMMC on September 14 after experiencing symptoms of heart failure.
“My only remaining hope is to undergo a pig heart, xenotransplantation,” Faucette was quoted as saying CNN Health.
It was critical
Although the next few weeks will be critical, doctors are very pleased with Faucette’s initial response to the pig’s organs.
“You know, I just kept shaking my head – how could I talk to someone who’s such a pig?” Prof Bartley Griffith, who carried out the transplant, told The Associated Press.
Doctors treated Faucette with an experimental antibody treatment to further suppress the immune system and prevent rejection. He will be closely monitored for signs of rejection or the development of pig-related viruses. Donor pigs are also closely examined for signs of viruses or pathogens.
Next: Post-operative conditions
Watch the video “The first patient to receive a pig heart transplant dies, this is what the expert says”
(star/kna)
2023-09-25 00:00:08
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