This will be the first in a series of operations that will benefit American war veterans, he announced BBC.
The intervention will last 12 hours, being a delicate one, which involves connecting nerves and blood vessels, to restore urinary and sexual function.
The first successful penis transplant took place last year in South Africa.
The first successful penis transplant in the world
In a first phase, 60 US war veterans will be operated by a team of scientists from Johns Hopkins University.
The first operation will be done using a young penis, from a deceased donor. It is expected that the patient who will receive the transplant will have the first sensations in the penis within 6 to 12 months after surgery.
Depending on the outcome of the surgery, doctors even hope that there are chances that patients will be able to have children.
The biggest risk in these operations is infections or bleeding during the procedure. In addition, there is the long-term risk of drugs administered for transplant rejection.
Patients will be closely monitored for five years, in order to overcome the psychological shock of the intervention.
A report of young military personnel wounded on the battlefield shows that 7% of the wounds are at the genital level. Many result during explosions of improvised devices. Although the soldiers benefit from protection for this area, during the missions, many choose not to wear it, because it makes their movements difficult.
In addition to the transplant performed last year in South Africa, there was another such operation, performed in China, in 2006. Although the operation went well, the penis was later rejected.
Regarding last year’s operation in South Africa, the patient, who is young, has already become a father.
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