US surgeons perform first-ever human bladder transplant

A team of US surgeons has successfully performed the world’s first in-human bladder transplant in Los Angeles.

The patient, 41-year-old Oscar Larrainzar, had his bladder and both kidneys removed as a result of cancer treatment and end-stage kidney disease. The transplant surgery now allows him to go off dialysis.

Surgeons from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center performed the 8-hour-long procedure earlier this month. The lead surgeons worked together for years to develop a new surgical technique, design a clinical trial and secure the necessary regulatory approvals.

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The surgical team, led by urologists Nima Nassiri from UCLA and Inderbir Gill from USC, transplanted a kidney and bladder from an organ donor. The new kidney immediately began producing urine, and Larrainzar’s kidney function improved instantly, eliminating the need for dialysis.

“This surgery is a historic moment in medicine and stands to impact how we manage carefully selected patients with highly symptomatic ‘terminal’ bladders that are no longer functioning,” Inderbir Gill from USC said.

“This first attempt at bladder transplantation has been over four years in the making,” Nassiri said. “For the appropriately selected patient, it is exciting to be able to offer a new potential option.”

Until now, doctors have relied on using a portion of the intestine to reroute urine after bladder removal. However, this method can lead to complications like infections and digestive problems. These challenges have pushed researchers globally to explore bladder transplant options as a better long-term solution.

“I was a ticking time bomb,” Larrainzar told his doctors during a follow-up appointment, Science Alert reported. “But now I have hope,” he added.

Four more surgeries are planned for the clinical trial. If successful, a larger trial will follow.