In a landmark medical achievement, the Mayo Clinic in Arizona has successfully performed the first full voice box transplant for an active cancer patient. For Marty Kedian, this medical miracle has been a life-changing event, allowing him to speak to his loved ones once again.
A remarkable journey
Diagnosed 11 years ago with a rare type of cancer that affected his larynx, Kedian lost his ability to speak, breathe, and swallow on his own following a series of surgeries. The larynx, commonly known as the voice box, is crucial for speech.
The landmark surgery
On February 29, Kedian underwent a groundbreaking 21-hour procedure as part of a clinical trial. Post-surgery, his voice has become stronger, he can swallow food, and he is working on improving his breathing. “I can talk to my 82-year-old mother on the phone, and she can hear me,” Kedian told the Associated Press. “I want people to know this can be done. You can hear my voice right now. Two months ago, I couldn’t talk.”
Defying the odds
Initially, Kedian had refused to completely remove his voice box, the last option to cure his cancer, due to concerns about his quality of life. In February, he opted for the risky larynx transplant surgery, despite the potential for organ rejection, which could lead to complications or death. Having already undergone a kidney transplant and taking anti-rejection medication, Kedian was considered for this complex surgery. He became one of the first recipients in a clinical trial involving ten patients to test the viability of life-changing transplants like his.
This surgery marks the third known larynx transplant in the United States and the first performed on a patient with active cancer as part of a clinical trial. It is also the Mayo Clinic’s first total larynx transplant. The six-member surgical team was led by Dr. David Lott. “You may be putting them at extra risk,” Dr. Lott said. Patients with such conditions “become very reclusive… may be alive but not really living,” he told AP.
In the U.S., more than 12,000 people are diagnosed with larynx cancer each year
In the U.S., more than 12,000 people are diagnosed with larynx cancer each year, many of whom have to completely remove their larynx or lose their voices. “It is important that we do these trials so that we can do this transplant safely,” said Dr. Karuna Dewan of Louisiana State University in an interview with AP.
Kedian can now talk to his granddaughter, expressing his determination: “I am keeping my voice, no matter what I have to go through,” he said. This remarkable medical breakthrough not only restores voices but also offers hope for a better quality of life for many facing similar challenges.