World’s first human bladder transplant performed at UCLA; a potential opioid alternative without the downsides; more time spent sitting heightens risk after a cardiac event – Morning Medical Update

Nima Nassiri, M.D., with bladder transplant patient, Oscar Larrainzar © Nick Carranza - UCLA Health

World’s first human bladder transplant performed at UCLA

Surgeons at UCLA Health and USC have made medical history by completing the first-ever bladder transplant in a human, successfully restoring bladder and kidney function in a patient who had lived seven years on dialysis. The groundbreaking procedure was completed on May 4, led by Nima Nassiri, M.D., and Inderbir Gill, M.D., and was the culmination of four years of preclinical research and marked a major step forward for patients with non-functioning or surgically removed bladders. The transplant, performed in tandem with a kidney transplant, used a pioneering technique to connect the new bladder and kidney, with the patient now off dialysis and urinating normally. Researchers hope the technique, still being evaluated in a UCLA clinical trial, could eventually provide a safer, more functional alternative to current intestinal bladder reconstructions.

New non-opioid painkiller shows promise without the high — or the downsides

Duke University researchers have developed an experimental compound, SBI-810, that offers potent pain relief without the risk of addiction or common opioid side effects like constipation and tolerance. In mouse models, the drug targeted a specific receptor in the brain and spinal cord (NTSR1) to relieve pain from surgeries, nerve injuries and fractures — matching or outperforming opioids and gabapentin, but without sedation, memory issues or the risk of dependence. The team hopes to move to human trials soon, positioning SBI-810 as a safer alternative for both acute and chronic pain.

Sitting less means lower risk after a cardiac event

People recovering from a heart attack or chest pain who spent more than 14 hours a day being sedentary were more than twice as likely to have another cardiac event within a year, according to a new study in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. But swapping just 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity cut that risk by 50%, and with moderate-to-vigorous activity, by 61%. Even replacing sedentary time with sleep lowered risk by 14%, reinforcing the message that post-heart event recovery doesn’t require marathons — just less couch time and a little more movement.