Before any major operation, the surgical team at Oxford’s Churchill hospital met to discuss logistics. This particular operation was extraordinary; a 40-year-old woman was donating her womb to her younger sister in hopes that she could experience motherhood. The team consisted of eight surgeons, two anaesthetists, ten theatre staff, as well as ten or so nurses and two porters. The surgery was expected to last 15 hours, but ended up being a 17-hour marathon.
The complex nature of the surgery called for a large and diverse team. The surgical team had to open and stitch arteries and veins in the pelvis, which were much smaller than those around the heart. This was the first time this operation was being performed in the UK, and the atmosphere in the briefing room that morning was electric.
The recipient of the womb transplant, a woman born without a womb due to MRKH Syndrome, anxiously awaited her surgery. Her surgery would begin seven hours after her sister’s, to ensure the donated womb was fit for transplantation. She anxiously asked for updates on her sister’s well-being during the wait. The parents of the two sisters were also kept informed throughout the day.
The surgical team, despite their excitement, had some anxiety due to the rarity of this type of procedure. They knew there was a chance things could go wrong. Their main concern was avoiding any major bleeds early on in the surgery.
The surgery was performed by Professor Richard Smith, who had been working towards this moment for 25 years. Professor Smith first had the idea for a womb transplant while doing an operation for women with cervical cancer. He made the first incision into the donor sister at 10am, marking the beginning of the groundbreaking surgery.
There were challenges and unexpected issues along the way, but the surgical team persevered. The donor’s womb was successfully removed and prepared for transplantation. The fragile blood vessels were meticulously connected using fine stitches. The womb was then connected to the recipient’s vagina.
After nine hours and twenty minutes, the operation was complete. The surgical team was exhausted but happy with the outcome. Both sisters were assured that the operations had gone well, although the recipient was still groggy from anesthesia. The overwhelming emotions of the day were felt by all involved, and tears were shed as the husband of the recipient saw the surgeons.
The surgery was a success and marked a significant milestone for womb transplantation in the UK.
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