Doctors in New York have extracted a pig kidney from Lisa Pisano, a 54-year-old individual battling kidney failure, less than sixty days following the initial transplantation. It was reported by the surgical team responsible for the procedure that issues arose with the mechanical heart pump rather than the pig kidney itself, and Pisano is currently in a stable condition.
Pisano was confronting concurrent heart and kidney failure and was reliant on regular dialysis. Due to several chronic health conditions that decreased the likelihood of a successful outcome, she was not a candidate for a conventional human heart and kidney transplant.
The sequence of events began with a heart pump implantation at NYU Langone Health on April 4, succeeded by the pig kidney transplant on April 12. The heart pump, recognized as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), is utilized for patients awaiting a heart transplant or those who are not deemed suitable for one.
As relayed in a statement to WIRED, Pisano’s medical team made the proactive decision to remove the pig kidney on May 29—approximately 47 days post-transplant—following multiple instances of inadequate blood flow through the transplanted kidney due to heart pump inefficiencies. Adequate blood circulation is imperative for normal kidney function in terms of urine production and waste filtration. Subsequently, Pisano’s kidney function began to deteriorate.
Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, stated, “After careful consideration, it was concluded that the kidney was not sufficiently contributing to justify the continuation of the immunosuppression regimen.” Similar to standard transplant recipients, Pisano needed immunosuppressive medication to prevent rejection of the donor organ by her immune system.
The pig kidney was sourced from a genetically modified pig engineered by Virginia-based biotechnology firm Revivicor. Through prior research conducted at NYU Langone, it was determined that removal of a specific sugar called alpha-gal from the organ significantly reduced the risk of immediate rejection in transplant patients. Additionally, during Pisano’s surgery, the donor pig’s thymus gland, accountable for immune system education, was transplanted to further diminish rejection chances.
Although a recent biopsy did not exhibit signs of rejection, Pisano’s kidney sustained damage due to inadequate blood flow, according to the provided statement. The medical team intends to analyze the extracted pig kidney for further insights.
Currently, Pisano has resumed dialysis treatment for kidney failure, and her heart pump remains operational. Had she not undergone the pig kidney transplant, she would not have been eligible for the heart pump.
Montgomery expressed optimism about Pisano’s recovery, recognizing her as a trailblazer and a symbol of courage in the pursuit of sustainable organ transplant solutions. His goal is to reunite Pisano with her family in the near future.
Pisano became the second individual to receive a kidney from a genetically altered pig. The initial recipient, Richard Slayman from Massachusetts, sadly passed away in May, merely two months post-transplant. The historic surgery took place on March 16 at Massachusetts General Hospital. In a statement issued on May 11, the hospital stated that Slayman’s demise was not linked to the pig kidney transplant. The donor pig utilized for Slayman’s transplant had undergone a total of 69 genetic modifications.
The global scarcity of donor organs has incentivized researchers, including those from NYU and Massachusetts, to explore alternative options like utilizing pigs. However, the human body swiftly identifies pig tissue as foreign, leading to the utilization of genetic editing to render pig organs more compatible with the human immune system. The number of genetic alterations required to ensure the functionality of pig organs in humans remains a subject of intense debate.
Furthermore, pig heart transplants have been conducted in two patients—one in 2022 and the other in 2023—at the University of Maryland. Both individuals were ineligible for human heart transplants. The donor pigs in these cases had undergone 10 genetic modifications and were also produced by Revivcor. Unfortunately, both recipients succumbed to their conditions around two months following the transplants.
