IN A HISTORIC medical breakthrough, surgeons from Keck Medicine of USC and UCLA Health have performed the world’s first human bladder transplant. The pioneering operation took place on 4 May 2025 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and involved a collaborative effort led by Dr Inderbir Gill and Dr Nima Nassiri.
The patient, who had been reliant on dialysis for seven years and had lost his bladder function due to cancer, received both a kidney and bladder transplant. The eight-hour procedure involved transplanting the kidney first, followed by the bladder, with the new organs then connected. The kidney began functioning immediately, producing urine for the first time in years, with no need for further dialysis.
Gill described the event as a “historic moment in medicine,” potentially transforming treatment options for patients with severely damaged or non-functioning bladders. Until now, such patients often required bladder reconstruction using intestinal tissue, which carries significant risks including infections and impaired kidney function.
Nassiri, who helped develop the new technique over several years, highlighted the promise this procedure holds: “For the appropriately selected patient, it is exciting to be able to offer a new potential option.”
This landmark transplant was the result of years of collaborative research, including robotic surgical trials and practice runs using donor organs. Despite the unknowns around long-term bladder function and immunosuppression needs, the success of this first case opens the door for future bladder transplants.
Gill and Nassiri now plan to continue this groundbreaking work through further clinical trials, offering new hope to patients suffering from debilitating bladder conditions.
Reference
Keck Medicine of USC. USC, UCLA team up for the world’s first-in-human bladder transplant. Available at: https://news.keckmedicine.org/usc-ucla-team-up-for-the-worlds-first-in-human-bladder-transplant/. Last accessed: 19 May 2025.
