A team of surgeons at Hanoi’s Viet Duc Friendship Hospital has successfully performed Vietnam’s first-ever penile transplant, using an organ harvested from a brain-dead donor.
The recipient, a 43-year-old man, had undergone a partial penectomy—the surgical removal of a portion of the penis—at the same hospital four years prior. While the initial life-saving surgery was successful, it left him with only a fraction of the organ. Despite retaining the ability to urinate normally, the patient suffered severe psychological distress, which drastically impacted his mental well-being and overall quality of life.
Hospital authorities disclosed that the groundbreaking procedure was greenlit only after an exhaustive screening process. A multidisciplinary panel of specialists reviewed the patient’s medical history, tissue and immunological compatibility with the donor, psychological readiness, and the ethical implications of the transplant.
Reconstructive transplantation of this nature is exceptionally rare due to the intricate network of blood vessels and nerves that must be reconnected to ensure the organ remains viable and functional.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Quang, Director of the hospital’s Andrology Centre, explained that the operation required merging advanced reconstructive techniques with high-precision microsurgery.
“In this transplant procedure, we reconstructed the anatomical structures of the penis, including the urethra, corpus spongiosum, and corpora cavernosa,” Dr. Quang said. “Simultaneously, we performed microsurgical anastomosis of minute arteries, veins, and nerves.”
He added that the level of precision required was absolute. “The close integration of reconstructive and microsurgical techniques throughout the operation demanded exceptional precision to ensure the viability of the graft and facilitate functional recovery.”
Medical bulletins indicate the patient is recovering well in isolation. The transplanted organ is healing as expected, with no early complications such as thrombosis or acute tissue death detected. Additionally, the patient is responding favorably to immunosuppressive (anti-rejection) medications, which prevent his immune system from attacking the donor tissue.
However, doctors cautioned that the road to full rehabilitation is long. The surgical team will continue to monitor the patient closely for late-stage organ rejection. It will also take several months to determine if the patient will fully regain sensation, urinary control, and erectile function.
Dr. Duong Duc Hung, Director of Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, hailed the milestone as a monumental achievement for Vietnamese medicine. He revealed that the surgical team spent months meticulously preparing for the procedure, studying international case files, and coordinating experts across urology, plastic surgery, immunology, and anesthesiology.
According to international medical literature, penile transplants are among the rarest reconstructive procedures in the world. Prior to this operation in Hanoi, only five successful transplants had ever been documented globally—including landmark surgeries in South Africa and the United States.
The success of the Vietnamese team not only offers new hope to patients suffering from severe penile trauma, cancer, or congenital abnormalities but also establishes Vietnam as a key player in the field of advanced transplant surgery.
