World's First Human Bladder Transplant Successfully Performed by USC and UCLA Surgeons

In a 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 4th 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.”