Woman Receives Pig Kidney Transplant Using Innovative Technique Just in Time

A New Jersey woman, Lisa Pisano, was on the brink of death due to heart and kidney failure. Traditional transplant methods were not an option for her due to her deteriorating health. Doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York came up with a unique approach – they implanted a mechanical heart pump to stabilize her failing heart and then transplanted a kidney from a genetically modified pig. This groundbreaking procedure was a last resort for Pisano, who had no other options left.

Following the successful operations, Pisano is now in recovery. This marks only the second case of a patient receiving a pig kidney, with the first one being performed at Massachusetts General Hospital. These procedures are part of ongoing efforts to make animal-to-human transplantation a reality. Pisano’s recovery has been promising, and she even took her first steps with a walker this week.

The successful transplant was a result of emergency permission from the FDA, where a genetically modified pig kidney was implanted into Pisano’s body. The organ immediately started functioning, providing hope for future patients in similar situations. The combination of the heart pump and the pig kidney has shown positive results so far, with no signs of rejection from Pisano’s body.

While the long-term outcomes are yet to be seen, this innovative approach holds promise for patients suffering from heart and kidney failure. More research and studies will be needed to determine the effectiveness of xenotransplantations like the one performed on Pisano. This breakthrough procedure could potentially save thousands of lives by providing a new organ source for those in desperate need of transplants.