South African doctors perform world’s first successful penis transplant

South African doctors announced Friday that they have performed the world’s first successful penis transplant, three months after the ground-breaking operation. The 21-year-old patient had his penis amputated three years ago after a botched circumcision at a traditional initiation ceremony. In a nine-hour operation at the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, he received his new penis from a deceased donor, whose family were praised by doctors. Doctors say the patient, whose identity has not been disclosed, has made a full recovery since the operation on December 11 and has regained all urinary and reproductive functions.

We’ve proved that it can be done – we can give someone an organ that is just as good as the one that he had. It was a privilege to be part of this first successful penis transplant in the world.

Professor Frank Graewe, head of plastic reconstructive surgery at Stellenbosch University

The medical team included three senior doctors, transplant coordinators, anaesthetists, theatre nurses, a psychologist and an ethicist. Surgeons from Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital had searched extensively for a suitable donor as part of a pilot study to develop penis transplants in Africa. Some techniques were developed from the first facial transplant in France in 2005. They now plan to perform nine more similar operations. Scores of South African teenage boys and young men have their penises amputated each year after botched circumcisions during rite-of-passage ceremonies. African teenagers from some ethnic groups spend about a month in secluded bush or mountain regions as part of their initiation to manhood. The experience includes circumcision as well as lessons on masculine courage and discipline.

There is a greater need in South Africa for this type of procedure than elsewhere in the world. For a young man of 18 or 19 years, the loss of his penis can be deeply traumatic. There are even reports of suicide among these young men.

Professor Andre van der Merwe, head of Stellenbosch’s urology division

Health