California Surgeon Inderbir Gill Leads World’s First Human Bladder Transplant

Photo: Inderbir Gill (R) with Nima Nassiri. Photo: Nick Carranza/UCLA Health

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA– In a groundbreaking achievement set to reshape the future of transplant medicine, Dr. Inderbir S. Gill has led the world’s first successful bladder transplant in a human being. The revolutionary eight-hour surgery, performed on May 4 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, was the result of an extraordinary collaboration between Keck Medicine of USC and UCLA Health.

This historic procedure marks a major milestone in urologic and transplant surgery, potentially offering transformative treatment for millions suffering from severe bladder disease or loss of bladder function. The surgery was co-led by Dr. Gill—founding executive director of USC Urology and chair of urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC—and Dr. Nima Nassiri, director of the UCLA Vascularized Composite Bladder Allograft Transplant Program.

A Complex Surgery with Life-Changing Results

The recipient, a patient who had lost most of his bladder and kidneys due to cancer, had lived tethered to dialysis for the past seven years. With no functional bladder and a history of renal cancer, he represented a complex and desperate case. In a coordinated surgical feat, the transplant team successfully implanted a new kidney followed by a donor bladder, carefully connecting the newly transplanted kidney directly to the bladder.

“The kidney immediately made a large volume of urine, and the patient’s kidney function improved immediately,” Nassiri reported. “There was no need for any dialysis after surgery, and the urine drained properly into the new bladder.”

Gill added, “Despite the complexity of the case, everything went according to plan and the surgery was successful. The patient is doing well, and we are satisfied with his clinical progress to date.”

The organs were recovered at OneLegacy’s Transplant Recovery Center in Azusa, California, and all aspects of the operation met rigorous clinical and ethical standards.

A New Frontier for Bladder Disease

This pioneering surgery opens the door to a new treatment paradigm for patients with what experts call “terminal bladders”—organs so damaged they can no longer function or cause life-altering complications. Currently, the only option involves using a segment of the patient’s intestine to reconstruct a bladder, a method fraught with complications like chronic infections, digestive issues, and impaired kidney function.

In contrast, a bladder transplant may offer a more physiologically “normal” solution. However, this innovation comes with a caveat: recipients must take long-term immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection, which is why ideal candidates are those already undergoing or in need of kidney transplantation.

“This could redefine care for patients with severely compromised bladders,” said Nassiri. “We are cautiously optimistic and determined to learn from this experience to shape future applications.”

Years of Research and Robotic Pioneering

The idea of bladder transplantation has long been elusive, primarily due to the intricate vascular network and anatomical complexity of the pelvis. Drs. Gill and Nassiri spent years meticulously planning, practicing, and pushing the boundaries of surgical innovation. Their research included robotic bladder retrievals and transplants in deceased donors, non-robotic trial surgeries, and extensive preclinical modeling.

This first bladder transplant was conducted under a UCLA clinical trial, with more procedures planned as part of continued research into feasibility, immunological compatibility, and long-term function.

The Visionary Behind the Breakthrough

Gill is no stranger to pioneering change. A world leader in robotic and minimally invasive urologic surgery, he has been responsible for numerous medical firsts over the past two decades. Under his leadership, USC Urology has soared into the top echelon of national rankings, with an international reputation for innovation, education, and excellence.

With nearly 1,000 scientific publications and over 50,000 citations, Dr. Gill’s influence is both broad and deep. He has trained more than 260 urologists—including 14 who now lead top academic departments—and his legacy includes surgical milestones across the globe, from the U.S. to India. He led the first robotic kidney transplant in Mumbai in 2017.

Gill had his early medical education in Patiala and then went on to the Cleveland Clinic and University of Kentucky Medical Center.

In 2021, Dr. Gill launched the nation’s first AI-dedicated Urology Center at USC, underscoring his ongoing commitment to pushing the limits of what’s possible in medicine.

Looking Ahead

While the road ahead is filled with unknowns—particularly in how the transplanted bladder will function over the long term—the implications of this first-in-human surgery are profound. For patients living with irreversible bladder dysfunction, this breakthrough offers a new beacon of hope.

“Our goal is to understand if bladder transplantation can help patients with severely compromised bladders lead healthier lives,” said Dr. Gill. If ongoing trials confirm the potential seen in this case, bladder transplantation may soon become a reality for more patients, rewriting the standards of urologic care for generations to come.