A genetically modified pig kidney was removed from 54-year-old Lisa Pisano after complications arose involving her heart pump, as confirmed by Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of NYU Langone Transplant Institute. The organ was transplanted 47 days prior.
Pisano, unable to receive a human kidney due to her chronic heart and kidney failure, became the second person to undergo a pig kidney transplant. Despite the kidney not being rejected by her body, issues with her ventricular assist device impaired blood flow to the organ, leading to damage.
“Lisa is a pioneer and a hero in the effort to create a sustainable option for people waiting for an organ transplant,” Montgomery stated. He expressed optimism about Pisano’s recovery, noting that she is currently stable and back on kidney dialysis. “We are hoping to get Lisa back to her family soon,” he added.
Reflecting on her decision, Pisano had previously told the Associated Press, “I just took a chance with the organ. Worst case scenario, if it didn’t work for me, it might have worked for someone else.”
Richard Slayman, the first recipient of a pig kidney transplant, underwent the procedure in March 2024 but passed away nearly two months later at the age of 62. According to doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, there was “no indication” his death resulted from the transplant.