As part of a clinical trial, physicians at Dallas-based Baylor University Medical Center performed the first living donor uterus transplants in the U.S. last month, and Baylor announced the results of the four surgeries last week.
The surgeon team at Baylor worked with physicians from Sweden who are the world's leading experts in uterus transplants — the transplants they performed have resulted in five births, according to Scrubbing In, Baylor' Health's news blog.
During follow-up tests for the four patients at Baylor, physicians determined the transplanted uteri in three patients were not receiving necessary blood flow, and the uteri were removed.
In the fourth patient, however, the uterus is getting good blood flow and there are no signs of rejection or infection.
"We are cautiously optimistic that she could ultimately become the first uterine transplant recipient in the U.S. to make it to the milestone of uterine functionality," a Baylor statement reads.
Earlier this year, a clinician team at Cleveland Clinic made history by performing the first uterus transplant in the U.S. The organ in that surgery was from a deceased donor, however, and that transplant failed due to an infection.