Marty Kedian, 59, underwent the third-ever larynx transplant in the United States in February. This was also the first time such a transplant was performed on a patient with active cancer. The surgery, lasting 21 hours and conducted by a team at Mayo Clinic’s Larynx and Trachea Transplant Program in Arizona, was part of a clinical trial.
Before the surgery, Kedian had a rare form of laryngeal cancer called chondrosarcoma. He had a tracheostomy to help him breathe through a hole in his neck, but he lost his ability to speak. This made him feel isolated and reluctant to go out.
Doctors initially suggested removing his voice box due to the persistent cancer, but Kedian refused. He wanted a way to regain his quality of life, especially to speak with his granddaughter and read bedtime stories to her.
His search led him to Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where Dr. David Lott was leading a trial on laryngeal transplantation. On February 29, they removed Kedian’s cancerous larynx and replaced it with a donated one. Since then, he has regained about 60% of his voice, which Dr. Lott thought would take much longer.
Kedian, who still speaks with his original Boston accent, used his new voice to talk to his mother as soon as possible after the surgery. His breathing has also been improving steadily, and he looks forward to the day when he can breathe normally without assistance.
He expressed deep gratitude to Dr. Lott’s team and the organ donor and their family for giving him a second chance at life. Kedian hopes his experience will inspire others facing similar challenges with laryngeal cancer to seek out treatments that can restore their ability to speak and live more fully.
