Pig kidney transplant recipient dies

Doctors transplanting a kidney — Of Slayman's death, Mass General said there was "no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant"

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What happened

Richard "Rick" Slayman, the first patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney, has died, his family and Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital said Sunday. Slayman, 62, underwent four hours of surgery at Mass General on March 16 and was released from the hospital in early April, no longer needing dialysis and with "one of the cleanest bills of health I've had in a long time," he said at the time.

Who said what

Mass General said it was "deeply saddened" at Slayman's "sudden passing" and has "no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant." The hospital's transplant team also thanked Slayman for his "trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation," or transplanting animal organs into humans.

What next?

Slayman's operation was a "medical milestone," showing that animal organs genetically modified to "make them more compatible with their recipients" can be successfully transplanted, at least for a short while, The New York Times said. Slayman's family said he accomplished his goal of providing "hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.