A cancer-stricken man in the USA has undergone one of the world's first transplants of a larynx. The operation has enabled the man to regain his voice and speak again.
The man, who is in his 60s, had his larynx removed due to cancer. As part of a clinical study involving nine patients, he received a donated larynx four months ago.
The patient is reported to be doing well, and in an interview with the AP news agency, he described the emotional moment when he was able to call and talk to his 82-year-old mother again.
David Lott, a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, who is behind the study, told AP that many of his previous patients who have lost their voice after an operation describe losing a large part of their personality when their voice disappears.
In addition to speech, the larynx is crucial for breathing and swallowing functions. In the USA, thousands of people are forced to have their larynx removed every year, mainly due to cancer. Although researchers note that transplantation will not be an option for everyone, this operation opens up possibilities.
It took ten months to find a suitable larynx for the man from a deceased donor, and the operation took 21 hours. In addition to the larynx itself, surrounding tissue, including the thyroid gland, pharynx, and part of the trachea, were also transplanted.
After three weeks, he was able to say his first word and start training to eat and swallow again.
