Already have an account?
Get back to the

Penis Transplant Performed for the First Time in the U.S.

Thomas Manning
Thomas Manning gives a thumbs up after being asked how he was feeling following the first penis transplant in the United States, in Boston on May 13, 2016.

Thomas Manning became the first man to have a penis transplant in the United States, NBC News reports. The Halifax, Massachusetts, resident had the surgery on May 8 and May 9, according to the New York Times.

Related: Celebrity Health Scares

“Earlier this month during a 15-hour procedure, surgeons connected the intricate vascular and nerve structures of a donor penis with those of the 64-year-old transplant recipient,” the Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement on Monday, May 16, of the experimental operation. “The patient continues to recover well.”

Dr. Dicken Ko and Dr. Curtis Cetrulo
Surgical team members Dr. Dicken Ko and Dr. Curtis Cetrulo address the media during a news conference at Massachusetts General Hospital on May 16, 2016, in Boston.

Manning, whose penis was amputated in 2012 after he was diagnosed with cancer, opened up about his recovery in an interview with the NYT. “I want to go back to being who I was,” he said on Friday, May 13.

The bank courier also revealed that he came forward to encourage others who may be going through the same ordeal. He warned: “Don’t hide behind a rock.”

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrity Injuries

The organ was harvested from a deceased donor, the NYT reports. Dr. Curtis L. Cetrulo, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, said that Manning will have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life. He will be able to urinate normally in a few weeks and will return to normal sexual function in a few months.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Dr. Cetrulo said. “It’s uncharted waters for us.”

Related: PHOTOS: Stars Who Beat Cancer

According to NBC, the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa claimed to have performed a penis transplant last year. The unidentified 21-year-old man, who had his penis amputated following a botched circumcision in his late teens, went on to father a child.

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!