Surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in the United States have recently achieved another milestone by successfully performing a second transplant using a genetically modified pig heart.
This groundbreaking surgery was carried out on a 58-year-old patient named Lawrence Faucette, who was suffering from end-stage heart disease. Faucette underwent this pioneering pig heart transplant on September 20, 2023.
Notably, the first historic procedure of this kind took place in January 2022 when David Bennett received a genetically modified pig heart transplant from the skilled surgeons at the University of Maryland Medicine.
Both of these remarkable surgeries were performed by the esteemed faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
For Mr. Faucette, this transplant represented his only viable option due to his pre-existing peripheral vascular disease and complications related to internal bleeding.
However, there is now encouraging news to share.
A statement on the UMSOM website reports that Lawrence Faucette is currently breathing independently, and his newly transplanted pig heart is functioning well, without the need for any supportive devices.
Dr. Bartley Griffith, the surgeon responsible for transplanting the pig heart into both patients at UMMC, expressed immense gratitude to Mr. Faucette for his bravery and willingness to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in this field. Dr. Griffith is hopeful that Faucette will soon return home to cherish more time with his wife and beloved family.
In response, Lawrence Faucette himself expressed his outlook on the situation, saying, “My only remaining hope lies in this pig heart, this xenotransplant.
Dr. Griffith, Dr. Mohiuddin, and their entire team have been remarkable, but what lies ahead remains uncertain. At least now, I have hope and a fighting chance.”
