A rare voice box transplant helped a cancer patient speak again, part of a pioneering study
Associated PressJun 26
The Facts
Surgeons at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona have successfully performed the world's first successful larynx transplant in a patient with cancer.
Massachusetts-based Marty Kedian, 59, underwent the 21-hour rare transplant — which included the larynx, pharynx, upper trachea, upper esophagus, thyroid and parathyroid glands, blood vessels, and nerves — in February.
The Spin
Narrative A
While Kedian's health history made him a good candidate for this transplant, overall it's risky, experimental, and may not be widely applicable. Immunosuppressant drugs increase the risk of cancer growth and relapse, while patients can survive and have decent quality of life without their larynx.
Narrative B
Kedian's quality of life suffered greatly due to the loss of larynx, leaving him depressed and isolated. This historic transplant has given him a new lease on life, one which is well worth the risk of this complicated surgery. Hopefully, this innovative clinical trial will lead to many more happy outcomes.