The world’s second pig heart transplant recipient has died six weeks after the organ was implanted, the University of Maryland Medical Center announced Tuesday.
The patient, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette – a Navy veteran and retired laboratory technician at the National Institutes of Health – had only begun to show signs that his body was rejecting the pig’s heart in the days before his death on October 30.
Before that, he was doing well in physical therapy to regain the ability to walk — and even had the energy to play cards with his wife, according to the medical center.
“No one knows from this moment. At least now I have hope and I have a chance,” Faucette said shortly before the September surgery.
In the final weeks of his life, Faucette, of Frederick, Maryland, developed a very special relationship with his surgical team. He realized that his surgery had implications for major medical advances in the future, according to his surgeon, Dr. Bartley P. Griffith.
Lawrence Faucette, the recipient of a historic pig heart, died six weeks after his critical surgery. Inset: Faucette with his wife, Ann.
“Mr. Faucette’s last wish was for us to make the most of what we learned from our experience, so others might be guaranteed a chance for a new heart when human organs are not available,” Griffith added.
“He then told the team of doctors and nurses gathered around him that he loved us. We will miss him very much.”
Faucette first checked into UMMC on Sept. 14 in late-stage heart failure and required resuscitation at the time.
Faucette’s surgery was a matter of life and death, as his heart failed. via REUTERS
The next day, he was granted FDA approval for xenotransplant surgery as a last resort because other health problems prevented Faucette from taking a traditional human transplant.
“He knows his time with us is short, and this is his last chance to do it for someone else. He never imagined he would last as long as he did, or provide as much data to the xenotransplant program,” said Lawrence’s wife, Ann Faucette.
“He was a man who always thought of others, especially me and his two sons.”
The surgery removes some pig genes from the heart and adds in human genes.AP
The liver given to Faucette was modified to remove certain pig genes while also adding human genes in an effort to help prevent rejection.
Last year, UMCC completed the world’s first pig heart transplant to 57-year-old David Bennett Sr., who survived two months with the organ before it became infected with a swine virus.
The Bennett family has also shown support for the Faucettes, Ann said.
Faucette is shown with his wife, Ann, after his surgery. He hopes the procedure will lead to future medical discoveries for others.AP
“Like the first patient, David Bennett, Sr., we intend to conduct an extensive analysis to identify factors that may prevent future transplants; this will allow us to continue moving forward and educate our colleagues in the field about our experience,” added surgeon Muhammad Mohiuddin.
“We cannot thank Mr. Faucette and his family enough for enabling us to continue to make significant progress toward making xenotransplants a reality.”
Recently, NYU Langone Health successfully transplanted pig kidneys into brain dead patients through a similar gene editing process. In September, the organ made it past the two-month threshold before recipient Maurice Miller died 61 days after the operation.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
