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One month after an experimental procedure to transplant the heart of a genetically modified pig into a patient with end-stage heart disease, doctors say the heart is functioning on its own and shows no signs of rejection.
In September, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette underwent the surgery, only the second ever performed in a human. Faucette’s heart disease and pre-existing conditions made him ineligible for a traditional human heart transplant.
“The physicians taking care of him believe his heart function is excellent,” said Dr. Bartley Griffith, director of the Cardiac and Lung Transplant Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who performed the surgery.
“We’ve had no evidence of infections and no evidence of rejection right now.”
This is actually great news. Heart transplants have been plagued with lack of heart organs for a long while, so being able to use pig heart as an alternative could help alleviate the problem.
In September, 58-year-old Lawrence Faucette underwent the surgery, only the second ever performed in a human. Faucette’s heart disease and pre-existing conditions made him ineligible for a traditional human heart transplant.
“The physicians taking care of him believe his heart function is excellent,” said Dr. Bartley Griffith, director of the Cardiac and Lung Transplant Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who performed the surgery.
“We’ve had no evidence of infections and no evidence of rejection right now.”
This is actually great news. Heart transplants have been plagued with lack of heart organs for a long while, so being able to use pig heart as an alternative could help alleviate the problem.
