Johns Hopkins University performs world's first penis and scrotum transplant
What's the story
Doctors at the US-based Johns Hopkins University have successfully performed the first total penis and scrotum transplant in the world. The patient was a young US serviceman who lost his genitals as part of the injuries he sustained in Afghanistan. "We are hopeful that this transplant will help restore near-normal urinary and sexual functions for this young man," Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee said.
Details
The transplant surgery took 14 hours
The surgery took 14 hours in which nine plastic surgeons and two urological specialists transplanted a deceased donor's entire penis and scrotum (without the testicles) onto the young soldier. It also included the transplantation of a partial abdominal wall. The surgery was undertaken by the same team that earlier performed the country's first bilateral arm transplant. The recovering patient will be discharged this week.
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Its a difficult injury to accept: Patient
"It's a real mind-boggling injury to suffer, it is not an easy one to accept. When I first woke up, I felt finally more normal... [with] a level of confidence as well. Confidence... like finally I'm okay now," the patient said.
Information
The surgery involved transplanting skin, muscles, nerves, blood vessels
This kind of a transplant, where a body part is transferred from another individual, is called vascularized composite allotransplantation. It involves transplanting skin, muscles, tendons, nerves, bone, and blood vessels. A common transplantation alternative would have been using the patient's own tissues from other body parts to reconstruct a penis. However, that requires a prosthetic implant to achieve erections and can introduce infection.
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The first penis transplant in US was performed in 2016
Notably, the first penis transplant in the US was successfully performed in 2016. In another first, a woman with a transplanted uterus gave birth in the country last year.