RIP| Pig Heart Transplant Recipient Dies

Lawrence Faucette, the second person to undergo a groundbreaking pig heart transplant, passed away on October 31 at the age of 58.

The experimental surgery, conducted by Maryland doctors in the United States, took place six weeks before his unfortunate passing. Faucette received the genetically modified pig heart on September 20 as his health was rapidly deteriorating, as reported by The South African.

“Mr Faucette had made significant progress after his surgery, engaging in physical therapy, spending time with family members, and playing cards with his wife, Ann. In recent days, his heart began to show initial signs of rejection – the most significant challenge with traditional transplants involving human organs as well. Despite the medical team’s greatest efforts, Mr Faucette ultimately succumbed on October 30,” the University of Maryland School of Medicine said in their announcement.

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Dr. Bartley P. Griffith, the surgeon behind Faucette’s transplant at the University of Maryland Medical Center, described Faucette as an exceptional individual—a patient, scientist, Navy veteran, and family man, driven by a desire for more time with his loved ones.

Faucette’s journey began at the medical center on September 14, arriving in an advanced stage of heart failure. Before the surgery, he required resuscitation as his heart had stopped, and due to his critical condition, he was reportedly considered ineligible for a conventional heart transplant.

“Mr Faucette’s last wish was for us to make the most of what we have learned from our experience, so others may be guaranteed a chance for a new heart when a human organ is unavailable,” Dr Griffith, a distinguished Professor in Transplant Surgery and Clinical Director of the Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine said.

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