David Bennet, 57, becomes first cardiac xenotransplant patient after having a pig’s heart replaced the original organ in his body in Baltimore MD., last week.
Pigs are about the closest animals to humans anatomically. Their internal organs – with adjustments made for age – are nearly exactly the same size as humans.
Bennet received a heart from a pig that was genetically engineered to remove genes that would have led to organ rejection after the transplant.
With this, hope will rise for people in need of rare organ transplants across the world.
A kidney transplant from the same animal was carried out last year.
