A South African man who underwent the world’s first successful penile transplant is set to become a father, a surgeon who performed the surgery has revealed.

The man’s girlfriend has said that she is four months pregnant with his child, according to BBC.

The 21-year-old patient was left with just 1cm of his penis following a botched circumcision when he was 18.

Surgeons in Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital performed the nine-hour surgery in December and were “very pleased” with the results.

"This is what we intended, that he should be able to stand up and be able to urinate and have intercourse, so it is a milestone for him," Dr Van der Merwe told the BBC.

The paternity of the child has not been determined but Dr Van Der Merwe revealed that there is no reason not to believe the couple.

The surgeons adapted techniques of those who performed the world’s first face transplants to connect tiny blood vessels and nerves from the donor penis to the body.

Doctors had not expected the man to be infertile, as his testicles were not affected in the botched circumcision.

The surgeons believe South African men are in greatest need of penis transplants as dozens are maimed or die each year in traditional ceremonies.

Penile transplants have been attempted in the past but have always been unsuccessful.

Online Editors