Second Pig-Heart Transplant Recipient Shows No Signs of Rejection One Month Post Surgery

Maryland Patient, Lawrence Faucette, Successfully Undergoes Experimental Xenotransplant Surgery, Begins Physical Therapy for Rehabilitation.

Lawrence Faucette, a 58-year-old Maryland man was the second patient to undergo a xenotransplant surgery where a genetically modified pig heart was implanted.
Unlike the first recipient, David Bennett, who only survived for two months before the heart failed, Faucette's pig heart shows no signs of rejection or infection a month post-transplant.
Having been diagnosed with heart failure, Faucette was ineligible for a traditional heart transplant which made this highly experimental surgery his only option.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine, who performed the operation, noted that changes have been made from the first experiment, including better virus testing of the organs.
Faucette is now undergoing physical therapy to regain strength and though he is not yet able to stand on his own, he is able to get out of bed with minimal assistance.
Xenotransplantation is seen as a potential solution to the huge shortage of human organ donations, with more than 100,000 people currently on the nation's transplant list and thousands dying every year while waiting.