Bijou Phillips has undergone a life-saving kidney transplant.

The 46-year-old actress was born with underdeveloped kidneys and previously underwent a transplant in 2017 but complications led to her body rejecting the new kidney and she had to undergo dialysis as she waited for another donor to be found. Now Bijou has confirmed her search for a donor was a success and she has undergone surgery with her brother donating a kidney as part of the organ donation scheme.

In a post on Instagram, Bijou shared a picture from her hospital bed and wrote: "I am beyond beyond grateful to everyone who rushed into help me, get checked to donate, you are all heroes!

"My wonderful brother donated in the kidney exchange! He saved a life, and the life he saved had a special person donate for them, and then a few weeks later! The voucher program found me a perfect match! So close it's like I got the kidney from one of my parents!"

Bijou went on to reveal the surgical team used a special technique which has reduced her recovery time.

She added: "I am so blow away by Dr Veale and the magic he does! The kidney exchange, voucher program, and his surgical skills!!! He only cut the facia!

"He didn't cut the muscles so I didn't even really need much pain medication at all, just Tylenol!

" I feel at five days out like I did four months after my last surgery! The technique he developed is brilliant and he is a lifesaver!"

She added of her hospital stay: "Thank you UCLA! And all the amazing drs and coordinators and nurses and everybody there has been so wonderful and amazing. Thank you so much!!!! @uclahealth love you Aron! Thank you the most!"

Bijou also shared a picture of her brother as she thanked him for his contribution and a video which appeared to show her leaving hospital.

The Almost Famous star underwent her previous kidney transplant after being gifted an organ by a "dear friend" but earlier this year she appealed to find a living donor who can help after she began to suffer health issues again.

In a post on Instagram, she wrote: "I need help finding a kidney. I'm asking as a friend, a sister, an aunt, and most important, a single mother to an incredible and brave daughter.

"I was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent the first three months of life in the NICU on dialysis. In 2017, I received the incredible gift of a kidney from a dear friend.

"That transplant gave me 8 precious years to be a mother to my daughter - but I have had many complications since, including the BK virus which led to both a cellular and antibody rejection."

She went on to add: "I am currently under care of Dr Anjay Rastogi at UCLA and back on dialysis. Please help me find a living donor so that I can have more time with my daughter, family, friends. Time is of the essence."

Bijou also opened up about her crisis in an interview with Us Weekly, admitting she needs to live to support her daughter, whose dad is jailed actor Danny Masterson.

She told the publication: "Now I'm a single mom and things are different. I want to be here for her, and I have to be here for her. The fight is back. That had been gone for a long time. I'm it. I'm all she's got."