In a groundbreaking medical feat, doctors at New York University (NYU) Langone Health have successfully transplanted a pig kidney into Lisa Pisano, a 54-year-old woman from New Jersey who was on the brink of death due to severe heart and kidney failure. This innovative approach is a testament to the ongoing quest for alternative solutions to the critical shortage of organs for transplant.
Pisano’s condition had deteriorated to the point where she was too weak to play with her grandchildren and ineligible for a traditional kidney transplant due to her failed heart. However, the NYU team, led by Dr. Robert Montgomery, decided to pair a heart pump with a pig kidney transplant, offering Pisano a lifeline.
The transplant involved using a kidney from a pig genetically engineered by United Therapeutics Corp. to minimize the risk of organ rejection. Additionally, the donor pig’s thymus gland, which trains the immune system, was attached to the donated kidney to promote tolerance.
Days after the groundbreaking kidney transplant, Pisano took her first steps with the aid of a walker, demonstrating the promising early results of this experimental procedure. Dr. Montgomery and his team rejoiced when the pig kidney began functioning, noting the cheers that erupted in the operating room as the organ started producing urine.
While it’s too early to predict Pisano’s long-term prognosis, she has shown no signs of rejecting the organ so far. Dr. Nader Moazami, the NYU cardiac surgeon who performed the heart pump implantation, cautioned that the challenges are not over yet but expressed optimism about the transformative potential of these early experimental results.
The successful pig kidney transplant in Pisano and a similar operation last month at Massachusetts General Hospital have sparked renewed interest in xenotransplantation as a viable option to address the critical shortage of organs. The outcomes for Pisano and the other kidney recipient will undoubtedly play a role in the FDA’s decision-making process regarding the approval of rigorous scientific studies to further establish the efficacy of xenotransplants.
This breakthrough offers hope to countless individuals waiting for life-saving organ transplants and highlights the dedication of medical professionals in pushing the boundaries of medical innovation.
