9 ▁it ▁performed ▁its ▁first ▁li ver ▁trans plant ▁from ▁a ▁cada ver ic ▁don or ▁in ▁Sic ily . ▁The ▁same ▁year ▁IS ME TT ▁started ▁a ▁cada ver ic ▁and ▁living ▁don or ▁kid ney ▁trans plant ation ▁program . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁IS ME TT ▁obtained ▁permission ▁to ▁perform ▁heart - lung ▁trans pl ants , ▁thus ▁becoming ▁a ▁multi - organ ▁trans plant ▁center . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁IS ME TT ▁started ▁a ▁ped iat ric ▁li ver ▁trans plant ation ▁program , ▁and ▁that ▁year ▁performed ▁the ▁first ▁ ▁children ' s ▁trans plant ▁done ▁in ▁southern ▁Italy . ▁ ▁Trans plant ation ▁of ▁H IV + ▁patients ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Ign az io ▁Mar ino ▁performed ▁the ▁first ▁living ▁don or ▁trans plant ▁into ▁and ▁H IV - pos itive ▁patient ▁in ▁Italy , ▁a ▁procedure ▁that ▁created ▁controvers y ▁and ▁criticism , ▁including ▁compla int ▁from ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Health . ▁The ▁Ministry ▁moved ▁to ▁c ensure ▁Mar ino ▁arg uing ▁that ▁this ▁particular ▁type ▁of ▁trans plant ▁had ▁the ▁characteristics ▁of ▁clin ical ▁tri als ▁that ▁required ▁special ▁authorization . ▁That ▁patient ▁trans pl anted ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Mar ino ▁is ▁still ▁alive ▁and ▁enjo ying ▁an ▁excellent ▁quality ▁of ▁life ▁free ▁of ▁d ial ysis , ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁kid ney ▁trans plant . ▁Because ▁of ▁this ▁success ▁the ▁rules ▁in ▁Italy ▁have ▁been ▁changed ▁and ▁now ▁H IV