World's first successful penis transplant performed in South Africa

What is wrong with South Africa that it has these injuries? Good luck to the patient. Hope he gains most of the feeling with that.

Not sure if this is good news or a complete waste of scientific resources. Just think of what else Dr. Van Der Merwe could be discovering if people weren't cutting off their own body parts.

Good luck to this young man. Hope he becomes a productive member of society!

Wait.....I already have the perfect name for the operation.. "An Addadicktome".

Sorry could not resist that.

Van der Merwe described the anonymous donor and his family as “the heroes” of the story.

They definitely are.

Nobody would have bothered if it had been a heart, liver or a kidney transplant. But donating a penis would be an embarrassment , and the fact that they did it and allowed a young man to lead a normal life is commendable.

What an exciting story. Hard to find something to arouse the readers as much as this thick, solid piece of meaty medial reporting will do!

Medical, that is.

“For a young man of 18 or 19 years, the loss of his penis can be deeply traumatic,”

A 25 year old, on the other hand would just take that sort of thing in stride.

I am sure there could be a tie up with doctors in Thailan for such a breathough.

Wonder what the full story behind this is ...In 2006, a Chinese man had a penis transplant but his doctors removed the organ after two weeks due to “a severe psychological problem of the recipient and his wife”. Did his wife reject the transplant or what? Did it function normally? Too small, too big ... ??

As for circumcisions, glad I wasn't born in South Africa ...

How many donors can they get? Better, teach those traditional 'butchers' how to perform/cut correctly and that should save hundreds of lives.

All girls in the world rejoice

Deepest sympathy to the 21-year-old patient who had his didgeridooda amputated after botched circumcision during rite-of-passage ceremony. All I can say is life goes on some organs nature drew a line under for replacement. Give an inch and take a mile is a idiom that should be taken on board. Chin up son.

i have to ask... Was it fully functional after the surgery? Including erection, sensation, and...Well, you know.

Still trying to picture the rite-of-passage ceremony that let the poor chap chapless. Hate to rain on Professor Frank Graewe parade, but seriously did he quantify recipient's immune system attacking the transplanted organ, the organ drop off rate? The gone in a flush factor. Think of the poor chaps mental health.

@sensei258 I don't doubt that it can do erections. John Bobbitt got reattached and went on to star in some pornos. The million $ question is whether it has the same sensation. Modern medicine seems notoriously bad at reconnecting nerves.

@sensei258 I don't doubt that it can do erections. John Bobbitt got reattached and went on to star in some pornos. The million $ question is whether it has the same sensation. Modern medicine seems notoriously bad at reconnecting nerves.

Silly boy. Sex is in the brain, and blood gives you an erection.

One man's junk becomes another man's tool. Let's hope scientists will one day be able to clone body parts.

One man's junk becomes another man's tool.

Hehe, nice word play.