US Surgeons Successfully Perform World’s First Bladder Transplant

In a groundbreaking medical achievement, surgeons at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, have completed the world’s first human bladder transplant.

The eight-hour surgery, performed on May 4, marks a significant milestone in treating serious bladder disorders.

Oscar Larrainzar, a 41-year-old father of four, was the recipient of the transplant. He had previously lost a large portion of his bladder to cancer and later had both kidneys removed due to cancer and end-stage kidney disease, relying on dialysis for seven years.

Larrainzar received a bladder and kidney from an organ donor, and the transplant was deemed a success, with his kidney function improving immediately and no need for dialysis post-surgery.

The surgical team, led by Dr. Nima Nassiri and Dr. Inderbir Gill, pioneered a complex technique that involved transplanting the kidney followed by the bladder and connecting the two organs.

This innovative procedure has the potential to revolutionize treatment for patients with debilitating bladder conditions, offering a more normal urinary reservoir and potentially circumventing short- and long-term risks associated with traditional methods

“The surgeons first transplanted the kidney, followed by the bladder; they then connected the kidney to the new bladder using the technique they had pioneered,” the UCLA statement said.

Dr. Nima Nassiri, one of the surgeons involved in the historic transplant, said the procedure yielded positive results almost instantaneously.

“The kidney immediately made a large volume of urine, and the patient’s kidney function improved immediately,” Nassiri said.

“There was no need for any dialysis after surgery, and the urine drained properly into the new bladder.”

Nassiri and fellow surgeon Inderbir Gill said full bladder transplants had not been performed previously due to the complex vascular structure of the pelvis, making it a technically difficult procedure.

“This first attempt at bladder transplantation has been over four years in the making,” Nassiri said.

Previously, patients in need of bladder reconstruction could have one artificially created using a part of the intestines or have a stoma bag inserted to collect urine.

Those techniques had several short-term and long-term risks that doctors hope will be circumvented with the full bladder transplant, Nassiri said.

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