Surgeons in Los Angeles have successfully carried out the world’s first human bladder transplant, marking a groundbreaking medical achievement that could transform treatment for patients with severe bladder conditions.
The procedure, performed on May 4 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, involved a bladder and kidney transplant for 41-year-old Oscar Larrainzar, who had previously undergone partial bladder removal due to cancer and had been living without both kidneys for years.
Larrainzar had been on dialysis for seven years due to end-stage kidney disease. In the historic eight-hour surgery, both organs were successfully transplanted from a deceased donor.
“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 hospital said in a statement.
Dr. Nima Nassiri, one of the lead surgeons, confirmed that the operation produced immediate positive outcomes. “The kidney immediately made a large volume of urine, and the patient’s kidney function improved immediately,” he said. “There was no need for any dialysis after surgery, and the urine drained properly into the new bladder.”
Bladder transplants have never before been attempted on humans due to the complex vascular structure of the pelvis, which has posed major surgical challenges. According to Nassiri, the success of this operation is the result of over four years of preparation and research.
“This first attempt at bladder transplantation has been over four years in the making,” he noted.
Previously, patients in need of bladder reconstruction had limited options, including using parts of the intestine to create a new bladder or relying on external stoma bags. These alternatives carried significant health risks, both in the short and long term. Medical experts hope that this full organ transplant will become a safer and more effective option.
The procedure is being hailed as a major milestone in organ transplant surgery and offers new hope for patients living with debilitating urological conditions.
