A U. S. veteran who lost his genitals from an IED in Afghanistan has successfully received the world’s most extensive penis transplant.
The veteran, who wishes to stay anonymous, is expected to recover urinary and sexual function.
An elite team of nine plastic surgeons and two urological surgeons took part in the 14-hour operation.
The 14-hour operation took a small army to complete. Nine plastic surgeons and two urological surgeons completed the task with help from the operating room staff. Doctors usually reconstruct the form of a penis from a patient’s own skin and an implant but are known to not be as aesthetically pleasing.
For a better result, doctors decided to use a deceased donor for the procedure. That includes the entire penis, scrotums (without the testicles), and partial abdominal wall. So for a fully functional transplant, doctors had to connect tiny nerves and blood vessels, all of which is very high for risks of the new body part getting rejected.
Here’s a better idea of how it all went down.
*In case you were wondering.
