A woman has become the first transgender person in the world to have vagina-reconstructive surgery using the skin of tilapia fish.

The woman, known only as Maju, underwent sex-reassignment surgery in 1999, however, the botched operation caused her genitals to narrow and 'collapse'.

With sex being agony, she resigned herself to a life of celibacy.

However, Maju then heard about a surgeon in Fortaleza, north-east Brazil, who was creating vaginas for women born without genitals using the freshwater fish's membrane.

The 35-year-old had a neovaginoplasty on April 23. This involves creating an incision where the vagina should be before inserting a genital-shaped mould lined with tilapia skin.

This is then absorbed into the body where it speeds up healing and is transformed into tissue similar to which lines the vaginal tract.

Three weeks on, Maju, who works as a florist, is 'thrilled' with the results and finally feels like a 'real woman'. Surgeons even think she may be able to have sex in just a few months.
The operation was carried out by surgeons at the Federal University of Ceará and led by Professor Leonardo Bezerra.

'We were able create a vagina of physiological length, both in thickness and by enlarging it, and the patient has recovered extremely well,' Professor Bezerra said.

'She is walking around with ease, has no pain and is urinating normally. In a couple months we believe she will be able to have sexual intercourse.'