US man who got first pig heart transplant dies after 2 months

abcnews.go.com

44 points·belter··7 comments

No evidence yet that the death is due to the heart! He was old and frail as is. This is not an indication that the procedure is a dead end. In fact, there is still lots of hope!

Important quote:

> Patients may see Bennett's death as suggesting a short life-expectancy from xenotransplantation, but the experience of one desperately ill person cannot predict how well this procedure ultimately will work

The first artificial heart patient died after almost three months. The next one lived eighteen. Maybe I've just walked this earth longer than most, and have seen more reports of how this stuff goes, but the fact that someone lived more than a day or two with a non-human heart is huge progress in my mind. Maybe next time will be a month or two. Oh, wait, the first patient already did!

So I guess I'm a little surprised that anyone would have a negative take on this.

I agree. come on, two whole months with a pig's heart that has been installed into your chest and has pumped blood to your whole body for two months is a pretty big leap

The truth is that people with artificial heart do not live long. The technology is not that good yet.

A friend of mine in her early 20s long ago had a heart transplant and died within a 24 hours of her successful operation.

It happens sometimes.

My cousin got a healthy heart from a young person sadly cut down in their prime. He lived 6 months then died of pneumonia. Probably due to being vulnerable from the anti-rejection drugs.

Anyway, sometimes nothing to do with the heart itself.

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