2023-11-01 17:23:46
Lawrence Faucette died six weeks after the operation. His wife said her husband “never imagined he would survive this long.”
The second person in the world to have a genetically modified pig heart transplanted has died, the University of Maryland School of Medicine announced on Tuesday, October 31. The death of Lawrence Faucette comes six weeks after his transplant.
This 58-year-old American suffered from heart failure and was not eligible for a human heart transplant. On September 20, he became the second person to receive a genetically modified pig heart.
According to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which performed the transplant and its follow-up, the heart appeared healthy for the first month but began showing signs of rejection in the final days.
“His last chance”
Lawrence Faucette’s wife said her husband “knew his time with us was short and it was his last chance to do something for others.”
“He never imagined he would survive this long,” she added in a statement released by the hospital.
In the weeks following the transplant, doctors reported that the patient was making significant progress, including attending physical therapy sessions and spending time with his family.
“Lawrence Faucette’s last wish was that we make the most of what we have learned from our experience, so that others can be guaranteed a chance at a new heart when a human organ is not available ” Dr. Bartley Griffith said in a statement.
Lack of human organs
The first pig heart transplant was performed by the Maryland team last year. The patient, David Bennett, survived two months. Although the causes of death are not certain, Bartley Griffith explained that the transplanted pig heart was infected with cytomegalovirus, a porcine virus.
Many scientists hope that xenografts (where donor and recipient are not of the same species) can one day alleviate the enormous shortage of human organ donations. According to CNN, more than 113,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant in the United States, with more than 3,300 needing a heart. The Donate Life America association estimates that 17 people die every day while waiting for a donor.
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