The two main methods for replacing bladder function involve either redirecting urine flow or replacing the bladder in situ.[1] Replacement can be done with an artificial urinary bladder, an artificial organ.[citation needed]
On January 30, 1999, scientists announced that lab-grown bladders had been successfully transplanted into dogs. These artificial bladders worked well for almost a year in the dogs.
In 2000, a new procedure for creating artificial bladders for humans was developed. This procedure is called an orthotopic neobladder procedure. This procedure involves shaping a part (usually 35 to 40 inches) of a patient's small intestine to form a new bladder; however, these bladders made of intestinal tissues produced unpleasant side-effects.[citation needed] The current standard for repairing a damaged urinary bladder involves partial or complete replacement using tissue from the small intestine.[1]
In 2006, the first publication of experimental transplantation of bioengineered bladders appeared in The Lancet.[2] The trial involved seven people with spina bifida between the ages of four and nineteen who had been followed for up to five years after surgery to determine long-term effects.[2] The bladders were prepared and the trial run by a team of biologists at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Boston Children's Hospital led by Professor Anthony Atala.[2] Bioengineered organs which rely on a patient's own cells, autologous constructs, are not subject to transplant rejection, unlike transplants from human or animal donors.[citation needed]