1st total penis and scrotum transplant in the world successfully performed

An American soldier who lost his genitals after an improvised bomb blast in Afghanistan has just become the first patient in the world to undergo a full penis and scrotum transplant. The procedure - which lasted 14 hours and involved a team of 11 surgeons - took place at the end of March at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, USA, and was a success at the moment.

Reconstruction

It is important to remember that several penile transplants have been performed worldwide, however, this is the first time that, besides the limb, the scrotum - without the testicles - and part of one donor's abdominal wall have been connected to another human being.

To make this possible, the medical team responsible for the surgery spent five years preparing to perform the procedure. And in the operation, the patient had tissues such as arteries, blood vessels, nerves, muscles and the donor urethra connected to his body. See (more or less) how it went:

It is already possible for doctors to rebuild a patient's penis using their own body tissues - which reduces the risk of rejection. On the other hand, for the individual to have erections, it is necessary to implant devices developed for this purpose, and these, yes, are associated with a higher rate of infection.

In the case of the soldier who was mutilated while on a mission in Afghanistan, the extent of his injuries was immense, and the transplant may even allow him to return to virtually normal urinary and sexual functions.

It is noteworthy that the patient did not receive the testicles - which are accommodated inside the scrotum - from the donor and therefore will need testosterone injections while recovering from the procedure. But it has been about four weeks since the military underwent surgery, and all is well now.

Be sure to check out the related subjects we have selected for you below:

• Penis Transplant Reality Already: US Holds 1st of its Kind in America
• Penis transplant will arrive in the Americas in 2016
• The 40-year-old virgin: Scottish dreams of children on penis implantation

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