1st pig heart transplant patient dies

{O/C} The world's first-ever pig heart transplant patient is dead.

This comes just two months after the groundbreaking experiment performed by a hospital in Maryland in the United States.

{RVO}

57-year-old David Bennett, who got the surgery on January 7, died on Tuesday at the University of Maryland Medical Centre. He survived significantly longer after he got the gene-edited pig heart.

Bennett's son lauded the hospital for offering the last-ditch experiment, although it didn't save his father from dying. He expressed his hope that the long-lasting problem of organ shortage will at least be alleviated soon.

The doctor who performed this remarkable surgery portrayed Bennett as a brave and notable patient.

The surgery marked humans' first step into uncharted waters.

His death came after his condition began to deteriorate several days before.

For decades, doctors have sought to one day use animal organs to save lives. Bennett was the first patient to try this because he was expected to die otherwise.