It’s tricky to transplant a bladder. How surgeons finally did it

The first successful human bladder transplant could offer hope for people with bladder problems.

On May 4, 2025, Oscar Larrainzar, 41, became the first human to successfully receive a bladder transplant. The surgery was part of a clinical trial developed to demonstrate the feasibility of bladder transplants in patients with terminal bladder diseases. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 85,000 new cases of bladder cancer in 2025 in the United States, resulting in about 17,400 deaths, making it the 10th leading cause of cancer death in the country.