[citation needed] On January 30, 1999, scientists announced that lab-grown bladders had been successfully transplanted into dogs.
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.
[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.