US Surgeons Perform World's First Bladder Transplant

A surgical team prepares a man for surgery to receive a donated kidney as part of a five-way organ transplant swap in New York, August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Keith Bedford
A surgical team prepares a man for surgery to receive a donated kidney as part of a five-way organ transplant swap in New York, August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Keith Bedford
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US Surgeons Perform World's First Bladder Transplant

A surgical team prepares a man for surgery to receive a donated kidney as part of a five-way organ transplant swap in New York, August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Keith Bedford
A surgical team prepares a man for surgery to receive a donated kidney as part of a five-way organ transplant swap in New York, August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Keith Bedford

Surgeons at a hospital in Los Angeles, California have successfully performed the world's first human bladder transplant, hospital officials said.

The surgery, performed May 4 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, is a promising development for other patients suffering from serious bladder disorders.

The recipient of the innovative procedure was Oscar Larrainzar, 41, a father of four who had a large portion of his bladder removed due to cancer several years ago, the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a statement Sunday.

Larrainzar later had both of his kidneys removed due to cancer and end-stage kidney disease and was on dialysis for seven years.

He received both a bladder and a kidney from an organ donor and had them successfully transplanted in an eight-hour operation, AFP reported.

"The surgeons first transplanted the kidney, followed by the bladder; they then connected the kidney to the new bladder using the technique they had pioneered," the UCLA statement said.

Dr. Nima Nassiri, one of the surgeons involved in the historic transplant, said the procedure yielded positive results almost instantaneously.

"The kidney immediately made a large volume of urine, and the patient's kidney function improved immediately," Nassiri said.

"There was no need for any dialysis after surgery, and the urine drained properly into the new bladder."

Nassiri and fellow surgeon Inderbir Gill said full bladder transplants had not been performed previously due to the complex vascular structure of the pelvis, making it a technically difficult procedure.

"This first attempt at bladder transplantation has been over four years in the making," Nassiri said.

Previously, patients in need of bladder reconstruction could have one artificially created using a part of the intestines or have a stoma bag inserted to collect urine.

Those techniques had several short-term and long-term risks that doctors hope will be circumvented with the full bladder transplant, Nassiri said.



Saudi Students Win Six Medals at Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad

Saudi flag - File Photo/AAWSAT
Saudi flag - File Photo/AAWSAT
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Saudi Students Win Six Medals at Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad

Saudi flag - File Photo/AAWSAT
Saudi flag - File Photo/AAWSAT

Six Saudi students achieved a new international milestone today by winning six medals at the 29th edition of the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad (JBMO 2025), held in North Macedonia from June 24 to 29, with 135 students participating from 23 countries.

The Saudi team earned two gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, reaffirming their competitiveness and academic excellence on the global stage, SPA reported.

This accomplishment is the result of years of intensive training overseen by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, as part of their joint efforts to discover and nurture gifted students and prepare them for international competitions.

Team members were selected through a series of rigorous tests conducted within the National Program for Gifted Identification, along with advanced scientific training camps led by elite local and international trainers.

This marks the Kingdom's 14th participation in the Olympiad, bringing its total medal count to 11 gold, 24 silver, and 29 bronze medals, reflecting the steady progress of Saudi participation year after year. By comparison, the Kingdom’s previous participation in the JBMO yielded one silver and four bronze medals.

Launched in 1997 in the former Yugoslavia, the JBMO is held annually for students under the age of 15, with each country allowed a maximum of six participants. Organized in rotation by the Balkan countries and Cyprus, the Olympiad is considered one of the most prestigious regional mathematics competitions.