Physicians say the surgery went well and the patient's vital signs are stable.
Italy's Secretary of Health, Rosy Bindi, issued a statement today congratulating Dr. Marino and his team. In her statement, Bindi said that this is an important step in closing the gap in transplantation services between northern and southern Italy. Patients needing such services were required to travel elsewhere in Italy or abroad at tremendous expense to the Italian government. It is estimated that 2,200 Sicilians die each year of liver cirrhosis and other liver diseases. The Italian government contracts with UPMC Health System to manage the facility as it would an American medical center, incorporating the most advanced technologies.