A grandmother from New Jersey underwent groundbreaking combined surgeries at NYU Langone, which included a pig kidney transplant, giving her hope and a new lease on life. Lisa Pisano, 54, was facing severe health conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and end-stage kidney failure that required dialysis. Due to the complexity of her condition, she was not a candidate for existing interventions. The innovative surgeries proposed by doctors at NYU aimed to address both heart and kidney failure simultaneously, significantly improving Pisano’s chances of survival.
The surgeries involved a mechanical heart implant, known as an LVAD, followed by a pig kidney transplant, performed by Dr. Nader Moazami and Dr. Robert Montgomery, respectively. The success of these surgeries was announced in a press conference where the medical team shared Pisano’s progress and recovery. This cutting-edge treatment option marked a significant milestone in the field of xenotransplantation, as it addressed two potentially life-threatening conditions in a single procedure using a genetically modified pig kidney. Dr. Robert Montgomery emphasized the importance of using pigs with minimal genetic modifications to make xenotransplantation a sustainable and scalable solution to address the organ shortage.
The introduction of xenotransplantation, using animal organs for transplants, has the potential to reduce the waiting list for organ transplants significantly, ultimately saving thousands of lives. Currently, over 100,000 people are on the waiting list for organs, with 17 people dying each day while waiting for a transplant. Kidneys are in the highest demand, with fewer than 25,000 transplants occurring each year due to the scarcity of donors. The successful pig kidney transplant in Pisano’s case, along with other recent cases, has demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of using animal organs to address the shortage of human donors.
Lisa Pisano expressed her gratitude to the medical team for giving her a second chance at life during a press conference from her hospital bed. Her husband, Todd, also thanked the doctors and expressed his gratitude for their life-saving efforts. With hopes that more individuals will benefit from pig kidney transplants in the future, Pisano’s family emphasized their appreciation for the medical team’s expertise and dedication to improving her health. Pisano’s daughter, Brittany Harvill, expressed optimism about her mother’s recovery and the possibility of her being able to return home and spend time with her grandchildren soon.
Pisano’s pig kidney transplant was the sixth xenotransplant performed by Dr. Robert Montgomery since 2021, marking significant progress in the field of xenotransplantation. While the FDA grants special “compassionate use” cases for experimental treatments like pig kidney transplants, ensuring that patients have exhausted all other life-saving measures, the successful outcome of Pisano’s surgery sets a positive precedent for future cases. Despite the long road of recovery ahead for Pisano, the initial 24-hour period after surgery showed no signs of organ rejection, indicating a promising start to her journey towards improved health and well-being.
