A woman who underwent a groundbreaking pig kidney transplant, along with an implanted heart device, has tragically passed away, as announced by her surgeon. Lisa Pisano, who was battling kidney and heart failure, underwent the dual surgeries at NYU Langone Health in April. While initially showing signs of recovery, complications arose when the pig kidney was damaged by heart medications, leading to its removal and Pisano being placed back on dialysis.
Despite efforts to stabilize her condition with dialysis and a heart pump, Pisano eventually entered hospice care and passed away. The transplant surgeon, Dr. Robert Montgomery, commended Pisano for her courage in participating in the experimental xenotransplantation procedure, which aims to address the critical shortage of transplantable organs.
