A Massachusetts man has regained his voice after a successful larynx transplant performed at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
Marty Kedian, a 59-year-old man from Haverhill, underwent the complex procedure which is only the third known total larynx transplant in the United States and the first to be performed on a patient with active cancer (via CBS News).
Cancer Patient Regains Voice After Rare Larynx Transplant
Marty Kedian was diagnosed with a rare form of laryngeal cancer called chondrosarcoma over a decade ago. The disease and subsequent surgeries had robbed him of his ability to speak, swallow, and breathe normally.
For years, Kedian had to rely on a tracheostomy, a tube inserted into his neck to help him breathe. Despite his condition, he refused to undergo a laryngectomy, which would have permanently removed his larynx.
Kedian found hope at the Mayo Clinic's Larynx and Trachea Transplant Program, led by Dr. David Lott. On February 29, a multidisciplinary team of six surgeons performed the 21-hour transplant, replacing Kedian's cancerous larynx with a donated one.
A Massachusetts man has made a remarkable recovery after a pioneering larynx transplant, marking a breakthrough for patients with laryngeal cancer.Image via Mayo Clinic
The surgery also included the transplantation of the pharynx, upper trachea, upper esophagus, thyroid and parathyroid glands, blood vessels, and nerves.
"The surgery and patient's progress have exceeded our expectations," said Dr. David Lott, chair of the Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) - Head and Neck Surgery/Audiology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
Kedian's case is unique because he was already on immunosuppressive therapy from a previous kidney transplant. This existing treatment allowed the surgical team to perform the transplant safely without significantly increasing the risk of cancer recurrence.
The American Cancer Society projects 12,650 new laryngeal cancer diagnoses in the US this year. Until now, laryngeal transplantation has been a limited option for many due to the risks associated with long-term immunosuppressive therapy.
Four months after the surgery, Kedian's recovery has been remarkable. He can speak with his new voice, swallow, and breathe on his own. "Mr. Kedian has already regained about 60% of his voice, which I wouldn't have thought would happen for at least a year," Dr. Lott noted. Kedian's ability to eat and his breathing have also steadily improved.
Kedian expressed his deep gratitude to the Mayo Clinic team and the organ donor's family. "The team at Mayo has given me my life back," he said. He looks forward to returning to Massachusetts and reading bedtime stories to his granddaughter with his regained voice.
Dr. Lott and the colleagues published their initial findings on the surgery in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings on Tuesday, July 9.
