Baltimore, Maryland. Namatay na si David Bennett Sr., ang 57 taong gulang na pasyente na may terminal na sakit sa puso na naging unang taong nakatanggap ng genetically modified pig heart.
Namatay si Bennett noong Martes, ayon sa isang pahayag mula sa University of Maryland Medical Center sa Baltimore, kung saan ginagawa ang transplant.
Natanggap ni Bennett ang transplant noong Enero 7 at nabuhay ng 2 buwan pagkatapos nito.
Bagama’t hindi ibinigay ang eksaktong dahilan ng kanyang pagkamatay, sinabi ng medical center na nagsimulang lumala ang kondisyon ni Bennett ilang araw bago ito pumanaw.
Matapos matiyak na hindi na siya gagaling, binigyan siya ng compassionate palliative care at nakipag-usap sa kanyang pamilya sa kanyang mga huling oras.
“We are devastated by the loss of Mr. Bennett. He proved to be a brave and noble patient who fought all the way to the end. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family,” ayon kay Bartley P. Griffith, MD, ang nagsagawa ng transplant.
“We are grateful to Mr. Bennett for his unique and historic role in helping to contribute to a vast array of knowledge to the field of xenotransplantation,” which is the process of transplanting organs between different species, ayon naman kay Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, MD, direktor ng cardiac xenotransplantation program ng University sa Maryland School of Medicine.
Bago matanggap ang genetically modified na puso ng baboy, kailangan ni Bennett ng mekanikal na suporta upang manatiling buhay ngunit tinanggihan na mabigyan ng isang karaniwang transplant ng puso sa University of Maryland Medical Center at iba pang mga sentro.
Pagkatapos ng operasyon, mahusay na gumanap ang inilipat na puso ng baboy sa loob ng ilang linggo nang walang anumang senyales ng rejection. Nagawa ni Bennett na gumugol ng oras sa kanyang pamilya at gumawa ng physical therapy upang makabawi ng lakas.
Thanks to Bennett, “we have gained invaluable insights learning that the genetically modified pig heart can function well within the human body while the immune system is adequately suppressed. We remain optimistic and plan on continuing our work in future clinical trials,” he said,” ayon kay Mohiuddin.
Ayon kay David Bennett Jr, ang kanilang pamilya ay “labis na nagpapasalamat para sa life-extending opportunity” na ibinigay sa kanyang ama ng “stellar team” sa University of Maryland School of Medicine at sa University of Maryland Medical Center.
“We were able to spend some precious weeks together while he recovered from the transplant surgery, weeks we would not have had without this miraculous effort. We also hope that what was learned from his surgery will benefit future patients and hopefully one day, end the organ shortage that costs so many lives each year,” ayon kay Bennet Jr.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
