Historic Breakthrough: World's First Successful Bladder Transplant

First successful bladder transplant in humans

The patient in this historic bladder transplant was Mr. Oscar Larrainzar, 41 years old, who had to undergo dialysis for 7 years, after both of his kidneys were removed due to cancer and end-stage renal disease.

Mr. Oscar Larrainzar also had almost his entire bladder removed, leaving the remaining bladder too small, only able to hold about 30ml of fluid and no longer able to store or drain urine (about 300ml) like a normal person.

Oscar Larrainzarca after the world's first bladder transplant. (Photo: Cesar Sarmiento/UCLA Health)

The eight-hour bladder transplant surgery took place at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. After years of living with severe urinary incontinence, he became the first patient in the world to undergo a simultaneous kidney and bladder transplant.

The eight-hour surgery not only restored his kidney function (stopping dialysis) but also restored his ability to urinate normally.

“Before the surgery, I felt like a time bomb because my health kept getting worse, ” said Oscar Larrainzar. “After the surgery, I was able to urinate like a normal person, something I thought I would never get back.”

In addition to the bladder transplant, the doctors also transplanted a kidney from the same brain-dead donor. Immediately after the surgery, the patient's kidney function improved significantly, completely eliminating the need for dialysis. Urine was successfully drained from the new kidney into the transplanted bladder, marking the natural recovery of excretory function.

Hope opens up for millions of patients

The pioneering surgery is the result of more than four years of research and preparation. The team of experts led by Dr. Nima Nassiri (UCLA) and Professor Inderbir Gill (USC) spent hundreds of hours practicing and perfecting the technique.

“The bladder is a very complex organ in terms of structure and vascularity, and is located in a surgically challenging area – the pelvic region. Successful bladder transplantation requires the development of completely new techniques to ensure blood flow, mechanical function and postoperative immune control,” said Dr. Nassiri.

Previously, patients with bladder dysfunction were often treated by using part of the intestine to create an artificial bladder, a solution that carries many risks such as infection, electrolyte disturbances and effects on the digestive system.

The biological bladder transplant method promises to provide a more optimal solution, almost completely restoring the body's physiological functions.

The team of doctors is conducting a controlled clinical trial at UCLA, with the goal of evaluating the safety and effectiveness of this new technique on a larger scale.

The results of the study are expected to be published in 2028. Researchers hope that bladder transplantation will soon become a standard treatment option for patients who have lost bladder function due to cancer, trauma or congenital diseases.

The surgery is being performed as part of a clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility of bladder transplantation. In this study, patients will be assigned to receive either a bladder transplant alone or a kidney and bladder transplant together. After surgery, they will be followed for 2 years to evaluate the effectiveness, safety and function of the transplanted organ.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dot-pha-lich-su-lan-dau-tien-tren-the-gioi-ghep-bang-quang-thanh-cong-post881046.html