The United States’ first recipient of a transplanted penis is recovering well from the delicate surgery, doctors said on Monday. Massachusetts General Hospital confirmed that Thomas Manning of Halifax, Massachusetts, received the transplanted penis in a 15-hour procedure last week. The organ was transplanted from a deceased donor.
Manning issued a statement on Monday saying: “Today I begin a new chapter filled with personal hope and hope for others who have suffered genital injuries.” Dr. Dicken Ko of Massachusetts General Hospital told reporters the surgery had three key aims: ensuring the transplanted penis looks natural, is capable of normal urination and can eventually achieve normal sexual function.
Ko says people who lose their genitals suffer a loss of self-identity, so the transplant will help with psychological healing as well. The recipient was not present at Monday’s news conference.
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(With inputs from AP)
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