HMN 2026: How Six-month results confirm feasibility and early success of first in-human combined bladder-kidney transplant

The first-in-human fully vascularized bladder graft transplanted with a kidney has reached a promising six-month milestone, according to a new feasibility study published in The Lancet. The procedure, performed in May 2025, demonstrated technical feasibility and early functional success at six months after surgery.

The surgical team performed an eight-hour operation on a 41-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease and a severely damaged bladder. Unlike other methods currently in use, the donor bladder was transplanted as a true, separate vascularized organ with its own blood supply, independent of the transplanted kidney.

During the procedure, the kidney began functioning immediately when blood flow was restored, and the bladder graft showed good blood flow and viability throughout the operation. Six months after surgery, the patient has functional bladder storage and spontaneous voiding, while his kidney remains stable and continues to function on standard immunosuppression therapy, with no signs of organ rejection.

The authors say this new procedure could offer some patients with end-stage bladder disease an alternative to bowel-based urinary reconstruction, potentially reducing metabolic and infection-related complications. Future clinical trials with more patients and longer-term follow-up are already underway, with plans to continue refining the techniques for future cases.

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