Laryngeal transplant: The future?

There is very less literature about laryngeal transplant, particularly in India. In the past, laryngeal transplant along with other “nonvital” organ transplant had been considered unethical as the risks associated with chronic immunosuppression outweighed the gains of the transplanted organ. However, with the advent of newer immunomodulatory drugs and drug delivery systems, the risks of immunosuppression are considerably low.

Laryngeal Transplantation

The ultimate goal of LT is to provide respiration without tracheostomy, normal swallowing, and sound production.

Rare larynx transplant restores voice

This transplant provides us with a much greater understanding about the viability of laryngotracheal transplantation and patient response, and it may prove to be a good option to help other people.

Regenerative Medicine to Repair Larynx

Traditional larynx transplantations using a donor organ are rare, but they have been performed. However, there are several challenges to the procedure. Many patients who would benefit from the operation have been diagnosed with cancer and therefore cannot receive the required immunosuppressive therapy, as their cancer would become metastatic. Another challenge is that the voice box is very specialized and small changes to the vocal fold itself will have a dramatic impact to the patient’s voice.

Stem Cell-Based Organ Transplants Emerging as Alternative to Conventional Donations

Consider a kiss. The bestower must be able to breathe while pursing his or her lips, so “if there’s no air flow through your mouth or nose, you can’t give somebody a smooch,” said Peter Belafsky, MD, PhD, principal investigator of the laryngeal transplant project at the University of California, Davis, Medical School.

The current status of human laryngeal transplantation in 2017: A state of the field review

Human laryngeal allotransplantation has long been contemplated as a surgical option following laryngectomy, but there is a paucity of information regarding the indications, surgical procedure, and patient outcomes.

The World's First Successfully Implanted Synthetic Larynx Component

In another leap forward for regenerative/transplant medicine, an international team of surgeons working in Russia have for the first time transplanted completely synthetic pieces of larynx into two patients in procedures that mark the first steps toward creating and transplanting an entire larynx from scratch.

Woman Finds Her Voice After Rare Transplant

In a notable advance in organ transplants, surgeons at UC Davis Medical Center have restored the voice of a woman who couldn't speak on her own through a transplant of the larynx, thyroid and trachea.