54-year-old Lisa Pisano, who was the first person to undergo a pig kidney transplant in the world, has passed away.

A 54-year-old woman who underwent a pig kidney transplant earlier this year passed away on Sunday.

Lisa Pisano experienced a medical milestone with the transplant surgery performed at NYU Langone Health in April. However, the organ failed due to limited blood flow and was removed in May.

TRANSPLANT HAD BEEN A SOURCE OF HOPE FOR OTHER PATIENTS

Pisano was the second person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney. Hopes that such organs could be a solution to the shortage of donor organs play a significant role in efforts to cope with the inadequacy of donated organs.

Experts note that these types of transplants are only performed in rare cases with the permission of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA can allow experimental treatments for terminally ill patients who have exhausted other treatment options.

In Pisano's case, an alternative approach was chosen because she was not eligible for a standard transplant due to heart failure and end-stage kidney disease.

A spokesperson for NYU Langone Health praised Pisano's courage and stated that she was a source of hope for thousands of other individuals with heart failure and end-stage kidney disease. Pisano was the first person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney along with a mechanical heart pump, which is considered a step towards expanding treatment options.