February 19, 2016
Johns Hopkins University (click here) has selected a wounded soldier as a patient for the country's first penis transplant, Reuters reported today. The university announced its intention, in December, to perform the first surgery of this kind in the United States, and surgeons there have been practicing the 12-hour procedure on cadavers to prepare for their patients.
The surgery could take place within the next few weeks, pending the selection of a donor of the right age and skin colour and permission of their next of kin. The potential stigma surrounding penis donation is one of the biggest problem for Johns Hopkins to overcome. In fact, the medical team has expressed concern that the very existence of penis transplants in the United States may discourage some individuals from donating any of their organs. For now, penile donation is strictly opt-in.
The first successful penis transplant was performed last year in South Africa, and has resulted in a child for the recipient....
