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BackTable / Urology / Podcast / Episode #274

Techniques & Challenges in Bladder Transplant Surgery

with Dr. Nima Nassiri

For the first time in history, a human bladder was transplanted. Dr. Nima Nassiri (UCLA) joins Dr. Ruchika Talwar to share how his team completed this landmark operation alongside a kidney transplant. He walks through the clinical scenario, key steps in donor and recipient selection, and how years of preclinical work informed the operative approach.

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Techniques & Challenges in Bladder Transplant Surgery with Dr. Nima Nassiri on the BackTable Urology Podcast
Ep 274 Techniques & Challenges in Bladder Transplant Surgery with Dr. Nima Nassiri
00:00 / 01:04

BackTable, LLC (Producer). (2025, November 18). Ep. 274 – Techniques & Challenges in Bladder Transplant Surgery [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.backtable.com

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Podcast Contributors

Dr. Nima Nassiri on the BackTable Urology Podcast

Dr. Nima Nassiri is a urologist and transplant surgeon practicing at UCLA in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Ruchika Talwar on the BackTable Urology Podcast

Dr. Ruchika Talwar is a urologic oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Synopsis

The conversation explores the broader future of bladder transplant surgery, from ethical considerations to the potential for merging bladder transplantation with tolerance-induction protocols that could one day eliminate the need for lifelong immunosuppression. Dr. Nassiri reflects on the importance of patient-first decision-making, teamwork, and careful innovation as the field moves toward new possibilities in restorative urology and transplant medicine.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction
02:51 - The Path to Bladder Transplant Surgery
05:00 - Scientific Challenges and Barriers
06:45 - Patient Selection and Initial Outcomes
12:28 - Quality of Life Considerations
14:18 - Performing the First Bladder Transplant
18:59 - Donor Matching
21:28 - Ethical Considerations
24:51 - Research Gaps and Future Prospects

Resources

Clinical Trial: Vascularized Composite Bladder Allograft Transplantation
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05462561

Clinical Trial: Retro-active Immunological Tolerance in Patients With Well-functioning Pre-existing HLA-identical Kidney Transplants
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05525507

The Materials available on BackTable are provided for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for the independent professional judgment of a qualified healthcare professional in diagnosing or treating patients. Any opinions, statements, or views expressed are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, platform, or any affiliated organization.

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Topics

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