Surgeons Perform First Penis Transplant In The U.S. Photos

A U.S. hospital said Monday it has performed the nation's first penis transplant on a man whose penis was removed due to cancer.

Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) said in a statement that the 15-hour operation took place earlier this month and involved surgically grafting the complex microscopic vascular and neural structures of a donor organ onto the comparable structures of the recipient.

"The patient, Thomas Manning, 64, of Halifax, Mass, continues to recover well, with blood flow established to the donor organ and no signs of bleeding, rejection or infection," said the hospital statement.

Due to confidentiality, the identity of the deceased donor will not be released.

Manning, the patient, issued a statement, saying: "Today I begin a new chapter filled with personal hope and hope for others who have suffered genital injuries, particularly for our service members who put their lives on the line and suffer serious damage as a result."

The world's first penis transplant was performed on a Chinese patient in 2005. Unfortunately, the patient reportedly asked for the organ to be removed after only a few weeks because of apparent psychological rejection.

The second such transplant was conducted on a South African man whose penis had been amputated because of a botched circumcision. This operation was reportedly a success and the recipient was said to recently become a father.