Regenerative science paves the way for future laryngeal transplants

Surgeons at Mayo Clinic in Arizona perform total laryngeal transplant

Mayo Clinic envisions a day when regenerative science will make total larynx transplants available to those in need. David Lott, MDhopes to overcome the organ donation shortage and minimize the need for lifelong medication to prevent organ rejection. Through regenerative science, the team is investigating ways to use a person's own tissue as a natural therapy to integrate the donor's larynx into the body with reduced risk of rejection.

“Immunosuppressants prevent the body's defense system from mistakenly attacking the donor's tissues and organs, but they also come with risks. In some cases, these powerful drugs can cause infection or cancer,” he said. Mayo Clinic Larynx and Trachea Transplant Program“Our goal in establishing a laryngeal transplant program is to improve treatment options and quality of life for our patients.”

Cells are shed and tissue grows

The researchers Head and Neck Regenerative Medicine Laboratory Researchers are investigating a technique called “decellularization,” in which all cells are washed away from donor tissues and organs, and they found that the remaining structure of the laryngeal organ could attract new cells and encourage the growth of tissue needed to integrate the new organ into the body's functions.

“By removing cells from donor organs, we have the potential to reduce the immune response that leads to rejection, potentially allowing us to accept more mismatched organs and overcoming the shortage of viable organs available for laryngeal disease patients,” says Lott. “We also hope that decellularization will reduce or eliminate reliance on immunosuppressant drugs.”

Bioprinting to repair damaged larynx

Another approach is to explore how 3D bioprinting can help patients with laryngeal diseases.

Now, using 3D bioprinters and living cells, surgeons can print three-dimensional structures that are exact replicas of a patient's damaged tissue. Surgical teams can then replace diseased parts of the larynx with the 3D implants to restore function. This pioneering procedure preserves healthy parts of the larynx and spares patients the pain and suffering that comes with having their entire larynx removed (called a laryngectomy).

In the future, the team hopes to use the 3D bioprinter to bioengineer a patient's entire larynx. First, the team needs to figure out how to grow blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to the bioprinted organ.

“Our research focuses on whether the bioprinted scaffold will function like a natural organ. The concept of using a patient's own cells to print a larynx that is customized to their individual physiological needs is very intriguing,” says Dr. Lott. “We are still quite some way away from this becoming a reality. Many more years of research are needed to understand whether this is a viable approach to treating laryngeal diseases.”

Researchers use 3D bioprinter for partial laryngeal implant

Many patients are waiting for treatment

The larynx, also called the larynx, is a delicate and complex organ that is crucial for breathing, speaking, and swallowing.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 12,650 people will be diagnosed with laryngeal cancer this year in the United States, and many more will lose laryngeal function due to trauma.

People who have had a laryngectomy must breathe through a hole in their neck and eat through a feeding tube, and simple tasks like showering can be a strain. Avoiding a laryngectomy could give thousands of people back their quality of life.

“Through research and advances in regenerative biotherapy, we hope to establish the scientific foundation for a laryngeal transplant program that will enable us to offer this treatment to a wider range of patients,” said Dr. Lott.

On February 29, Dr. Lott led a team of six surgeons in removing the donor's larynx. A 59-year-old patient A patient with cancer-damaged larynx underwent a laryngeal transplant. This is Mayo Clinic's first laryngeal transplant and the first in the United States to be performed on a patient with active cancer in a clinical trial. As researchers build knowledge and scientific evidence, they hope to expand the procedure to patients without a larynx and those with active cancer.

Dr. Lott is associate director of the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Otolaryngology Mayo Clinic, Arizona Regenerative Biotherapy Center We support Dr. Lott's regenerative science research as part of our goal to deliver new biopharmaceuticals to improve patient care.

###

Related article:

Mayo Clinic marks a medical milestone by performing the world's first successful total laryngeal transplant in a patient with active cancer as part of a clinical trial.

3D Bioprinting: Converting Medical Images into Human Tissue

Related article