In a groundbreaking medical milestone, a 54-year-old woman named Lisa Pisano recently received a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig at NYU Langone Health in New York. The surgery was a necessity for Lisa, who was suffering from both heart and kidney failure. Just 8 days prior to the kidney transplant, she had received a mechanical heart pump to keep her alive.
The surgical teams at NYU Langone worked tirelessly to carry out both life-saving procedures in just 9 days. Lisa was at risk of dying without the heart pump, making the successful kidney transplant even more crucial. The kidney itself came from a genetically engineered pig provided by the United Therapeutics Corporation. This pig had been modified to carry a gene that produced alpha-gal sugar, which had been blocked to prevent rejection by the human immune system.
The successful transplant represents a major step forward in the field of organ transplantation and could potentially help address the shortage of human organs available for transplant. Dr. David Klassen, Chief Medical Officer of the United Network for Organ Sharing, praised the medical teams involved in the procedures, stating that “this is a tremendous achievement and could have a significant impact on the treatment of patients with organ failure.”
Lisa is currently recovering well from the surgery and is said to be in good spirits. Her story serves as a beacon of hope for others in need of life-saving organ transplants. The medical community is optimistic about the potential of genetically modified pig organs to help save more lives in the future.
