Multiple news outlets have reported that David Bennett, the man who received the first UHeart™ from Silver Spring’s United Therapeutics Corporation, has died.
Per USA Today, “It’s not yet clear precisely what caused Bennett’s death, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he received the transplant Jan. 7 and had been recovering since. He began deteriorating in recent days and the hospital announced his death Wednesday.”
Two weeks ago, Silver Spring’s United Therapeutics Corporation provided an update on Mr. David Bennett, the first UHeart™ recipient, stating that “The recent transplants of our xenoheart and xenokidney products demonstrate the tremendous potential of our business model for the second half of the 2020s and beyond. Indeed, Mr. David Bennett, Sr., the first UHeart™ recipient, continues to have strong cardiovascular function seven weeks after his transplant.”
The surgery took place at the University of Maryland Medical Centre (UMMC). It was a first of its kind transplant of a genetically modified pig heart that was successfully carried out in David Bennett, a 57-year-old man with terminal heart disease.
The patient had been deemed ineligible for a conventional heart transplant, leaving the experimental surgery as his only option. In addition to not qualifying to be put on the transplant list, Mr Bennett was also deemed ineligible for an artificial heart pump due to his arrhythmia.
Prior to the surgery, Mr Bennett said: “It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice.”
UMSOM, along with the University of Maryland Medical Center produced a videoof the historic xeno UHeart transplant surgery. Further information can be found at https://www.umms.org/ummc/news/2022/first-successful-transplant-of-porcine-heart-into-adult-human-heart.
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FEST OF SPRING Caribbean Wine Food & Music Festival
Get ready to experience the vibrant colors, tantalizing flavors, and infectious rhythms of the Caribbean at the FEST OF SPRING Caribbean Wine Food & Music Festival! Hosted by RHU LLC, this exciting festival is set to take place on May 18, 2024, at the picturesque 16700 Barnesville Rd in Boyds, MD.
Step into a world where the Caribbean spirit comes alive! From 12:00 PM onwards, immerse yourself in a sensory journey that celebrates the unique culture, cuisine, and music of the Caribbean. Whether you’re an African American, a Reggae or Soca music enthusiast, a wine lover, or part of the vibrant Caribbean diaspora, this festival promises to delight and captivate you in every way.
