A donated larynx and necessary adjoining tissues were used for the transplant
Four months after the surgery, Kedian can speak
Kedian had a rare form of laryngeal cancer called chondrosarcoma which required removal of his larynx
Marty Kedian underwent the world's first successful larynx transplant in February 2020 at Mayo Clinic
In a groundbreaking medical procedure, Marty Kedian, a Massachusetts man diagnosed with a rare form of laryngeal cancer called chondrosarcoma, has successfully undergone the world's first successful larynx transplant in a patient with cancer. The surgery took place at the Mayo Clinic in February 2020 and included the removal of Kedian's cancerous larynx and replacement with a donated one, along with necessary adjoining tissues. After four months, Kedian can speak with his
Marty Kedian is only the third person in the US to undergo a total larynx transplant.
The transplant was part of a new clinical trial aimed at opening the potentially life-changing operation to more patients, including some with cancer.
Surgeons at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona removed Kedian’s cancerous larynx and replaced it with a donated one.
Accuracy
The Mayo Clinic in Arizona removed Kedian’s cancerous larynx and replaced it with a donated one.
There have been only three documented larynx transplants in the US, none of which were completed on a patient with cancer.
The world’s first successful larynx transplant was completed at the Cleveland Clinic in 1998 on a patient who lost his ability to speak after a motorcycle accident.
Two U.S. larynx transplant recipients had lost their voices due to injuries in 1998 and 2010.
Marty Kedian is the third person in the US to undergo a total larynx transplant.
Marty Kedian had a rare laryngeal cartilage cancer diagnosed about a decade ago and underwent over a dozen surgeries before being accepted into the clinical trial.
It took 10 months to find a deceased donor with the right size larynx
After removing Kedian’s cancerous larynx, they transplanted a donated one along with necessary adjoining tissues and connected critical nerves for swallowing and moving vocal cords.
Kedian is making progress in his recovery, including relearning to swallow and regaining his Boston accent.
