In Israel, a man named Sleiman is making history as he undergoes an innovative transplant procedure that could potentially save hundreds of thousands of people waiting for a kidney transplant around the world. However, this life-saving operation also comes with significant risks.
In the past, attempts to transplant a regenerating heart into a person in the US were unsuccessful, with both transplants surviving for only two months. The surgery was performed under exceptional FDA approval, allowing patients in life-threatening conditions to undergo research procedures when no other treatment options are available.
Sleiman himself faced this dilemma in 2018 when he underwent a kidney transplant from a deceased donor which failed, requiring him to return to dialysis treatments. With a six-year waiting time for a kidney transplant in the US, it was too long for him to survive. After complex approvals, a team of expert doctors, nurses, and technicians successfully performed the innovative procedure on Sleiman. While he is still hospitalized, his vital signs remain stable, and his doctors are optimistic about his recovery.
While organ transplants from animals are not yet approved in the US or Israel, they may be the only solution to the organ transplant crisis. While the current operation is considered a scientific breakthrough
