A team of doctors at the Mayo Clinic in the United States performed the world’s first successful total laryngeal transplant for a patient with a rare laryngeal cancer.
The patient, Marty Kidian, suffered from chondrosarcoma of the larynx, lost his ability to speak and swallow normally, and needed a tracheostomy to breathe.
The transplant took place last February, lasted 21 hours, and included the larynx, parts of the pharynx, trachea, and esophagus. It represented a major step in head and neck surgeries and audiology.
David Lott, the treating physician and specialist in ear, nose, and throat surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, expressed his optimism about the results, which exceeded expectations. He emphasized that this achievement opens new horizons for the future in the field of laryngeal transplantation and could become a viable option for many patients with critical laryngeal problems.
Dr. Lott and his team have been researching laryngeal transplantation for more than two decades, and this successful procedure is the result of their continued efforts.
This is the third qualitative operation of its kind in the United States and the first for a patient with active cancer. The details were published in the journal “Mayo Clinic Proceedings.” With Kidian regaining his voice, his quality of life has improved significantly, giving hope to other patients facing similar challenges.
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