Surgeons at New York City-based Mount Sinai performed the world's first human tracheal transplant during an 18-hour procedure in January, marking the launch of its tracheal transplant program, the health system said April 6.
Providing blood supply to the trachea has been one of the largest barriers to successfully transplanting the organ. The procedure is the culmination of the efforts of more than 50 specialists and 30 years of research at Mount Sinai.
Given the large number of COVID-19 patients who have sustained tracheal damage and airway disease from intubation, the team anticipates a growing number of people will benefit from the novel surgery.
The recipient, a 56-year-old woman from New York City, underwent the procedure Jan. 13. Her trachea was severely damaged from a bad asthma attack that led to repeated intubations. The organ was further damaged after failed surgical reconstruction attempts. She had been breathing through a tracheostomy tube and faced a high risk of suffocation if her trachea collapsed.
After removing the trachea and related blood vessels from the donor, the team, led by Eric Genden, MD, reconstructed the organ once it was inside her. Surgeons then connected the small blood vessels responsible for supplying the donor trachea with the recipient's blood vessels, and used a portion of the esophagus and thyroid gland to help establish blood flow to the trachea.
"Seeing the graft come alive and knowing that the organ was well vascularized was an amazing experience," Dr. Genden said. "Knowing that this procedure and 30 years of research will save countless lives was indescribable. It's why we do what we do, to make a difference."