Johannesburg - The South African urologist who performed the world’s first successful penis transplant is worried that the elderly recipient of a similar groundbreaking US procedure has not yet “bonded” with his organ.
This week, Thomas Manning, 64, underwent the penis transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital, but Professor Andre van der Merwe, of Stellenbosch University, said he was concerned his age counted against him in the experimental procedure.
“The US recipient is quite old. It’s slightly risky. I’m not sure how he will accept his new penis at his age. A week after his surgery, he hasn’t looked at the penis yet and has said he prefers not to look at it. That’s a potential danger sign, how he will integrate the penis psychologically, whereas our guy literally couldn’t wait to see his.”
In December 2014, Van der Merwe and his team pioneered the surgery on a 21-year-old at Tygerberg hospital, whose penis had become gangrenous after a botched circumcision in his teens. “Our patient had dressings on for three days, and was shouting I want to see my penis’. When he met it for the first time, the way he responded to it, he was over the moon. It was so touching. Ours was so happy to receive his new penis.”
In February this year, while on a visit to the US, Van der Merwe consulted with another team at Johns Hopkins University that had long been preparing for a penis transplant. “They had aimed to be the first in the US but they haven’t managed to find a donor yet.
“I advised them on easier techniques to find a donor and ways to cool the penis down for transplantation... for preservation for the duration of the surgery. They (the US) definitely took notice of what we did.”
Their procedure was overtaken by Mannings’. Transplanting a functional penis involves the surgical grafting of veins and nerve structures.
South Africa’s next penis transplant could happen this year, he said, though they still needed a lot of energy and time to make them viable and successful. “We’ve got permission from the government to do more... But there’s so many eyes on us now. I’m a bit nervous. Hopefully this year we’ll do another one or at least attempt another one.”
Van der Merwe had been “inundated” with requests for penis transplants.
“People are telling me their penises are too small and asking me if I can transplant a bigger one. Absolutely not. Most of the people we evaluate for that don’t need anything done. People just want to have long penises. Most are normal and they have to accept that.”
The local recipient was doing well, he said, although the baby that he and his partner conceived last year was stillborn in December. It was traumatic for the couple, Van der Merwe explained.
“He overdosed accidentally on his meds and his kidneys failed. It was a tough time.”
But Van der Merwe said the man visited him often. “He works close by and pops in at lunchtime. We really keep a close eye on him. He’s still smiling very broadly. I ask him how many times he has sex. He says it depends,” laughed Van der Merwe. “He was the perfect candidate to have the first penis transplant, he is so thankful and always happy.”
The loss of a penis from cancer, war or an accident was traumatic, he pointed out. “The risk for suicide is high... People who go to war in countries like Afghanistan, they are more worried about their genitalia than head injuries.”
For Van der Merwe, the sudden thrust into the limelight, was interesting. “It’s funny because people are not interested in you but what you’ve done. You’re the guy who did the first penis transplant. That’s how people see me now.”
He remembered how he couldn’t get funding for his work, which he described as “my baby and lifelong project”. At first, only Tygerberg Hospital saw the value. “The funny thing is no one thought it was a good idea, they said it was not ethical or life saving. But it’s about the hope it creates. The hope for life.”
Saturday Star