The “pig heart transplant” surgeon reveals the circumstances of the death of the “historic patient”!

After the death of the "historic" patient, David Bennett, who is the first person in the world to have a genetically modified pig heart transplanted into his body, the director of the animal transplant program at the University of Maryland College of Medicine, Muhammad Mohieldin, revealed the circumstances of what happened, stressing that the researchers They are currently working on determining the cause of death.

Earlier, the University of Maryland Medical Center announced the death of American David Bennett at the age of 57, who had chronic heart disease and underwent a heart transplant on January 7.

The center said that Bennett died, on Tuesday, after his condition began to deteriorate in recent days, explaining that "when it was found that he would not recover from this condition, he was provided with medical care intended for people in conflict," according to "AFP."

Mohamed Mohieldin, who is the co-leader of the team of surgeons who performed the surgery, reiterated that surgeons and researchers "will continue their research to transplant animal organs into the bodies of patients who need it, despite Bennett's death."

The director of the organ transplant program at the University of Maryland stressed the intention to perform new surgeries for patients with this mechanism, explaining: "If the regulatory agency allows them to do so."

The medical team had used a new experimental drug, developed in part by Mohieldin, to suppress the immune system and prevent rejection.

He also used a new perfusion device to preserve the pig's heart until surgery, after the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency clearance to perform this surgery on New Year's Eve, as a last step for a patient who was not eligible for the traditional transplant.

And Mohieddin had previously told Sky News Arabia that Bennett was gradually recovering after the surgery, explaining that "the heart that was implanted in Bennett's body worked well without rejection, and performed all vital functions like any normal human being," before his condition deteriorated. In the past few days.

He explained that the operation "goed without any obstacles, except for a slight discrepancy between the two hearts."

Researchers at the University of Maryland modified 10 genes in the pig's heart, turned off 3 genes that could lead to immediate immune rejection, and added 6 human genes to prevent blood from clotting in the heart, improving molecular compatibility and reducing the risk of rejection.

Mohieldin pointed out that choosing the pig's heart specifically for implantation inside the patient comes due to its size, growth rate, ability to modify genes, and the lack of ethical problems regarding the surgery itself.

He stressed that there are no differences in the characteristics of the human heart from the heart of the pig.

Regarding the categories authorized to perform such surgeries, Mohieldin said, "Putting the pig's heart into human bodies will be for patients with restricted heart diseases."

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