Overview

• Oscar Larrainzar, a 41-year-old father of four, became the first recipient of a human bladder transplant after losing both kidneys and most of his bladder to cancer.
• The eight-hour surgery on May 4, 2025, performed at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, restored immediate kidney function and eliminated the need for dialysis.
• The procedure, led by Dr. Inderbir Gill of USC and Dr. Nima Nassiri of UCLA, represents four years of research to overcome the complex vascular and neural challenges of bladder transplantation.
• The UCLA-led clinical trial will expand to additional patients to evaluate long-term bladder function, immunosuppressive needs, and patient adaptation.
• This breakthrough offers an alternative to intestinal bladder reconstruction, potentially reducing complications like infections and kidney damage common with current methods.