A US veteran who was injured while serving in Afghanistan has become the world's first recipient of a total penis and scrotum transplant.
A team of of nine plastic surgeons and two urological surgeons performed the operation at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland in March.
The 14-hour surgery transplanted the organs from a deceased donor.
They took the entire penis, scrotum (without testicles) and partial abdominal wall.
Image: Johns Hopkins Medicine
The recipient, who wants to remain anonymous, has recovered and is expected to be discharged from hospital shortly.
"It's a real mind-boggling injury to suffer; it is not an easy one to accept," he says.
"When I first woke up, I felt finally more normal... [with] a level of confidence as well. Confidence... like finally I'm OK now."
WP Andrew Lee is professor and director of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine.
"We are hopeful that this transplant will help restore near-normal urinary and sexual functions for this young man".
