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American Morning

First Larynx Transplant Recipient Speaks

Aired May 31, 2001 - 10:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Some in the medical community are expressing excitement about the first successful larynx transplant. The patient underwent the surgery three years ago, and he now speaks with a perfectly normal voice, as you will hear for yourself.

Timothy Heidler is that patient, and he's joining us, from New York, to speak for himself.

Tim, good morning, thanks for being with us.

TIMOTHY HEIDLER, LARYNX TRANSPLANT PATIENT: Good morning.

KAGAN: First tell us how you lost your voicebox in the first place.

HEIDLER: It was due to a motorcycle accident in which I struck a cable, and the cable just hit me right across the throat and dragged me off my bike.

KAGAN: How was life without having a voice?

HEIDLER: Terrible. Communication is the key to anything -- without communicating, nothing gets done.

KAGAN: How long did you have to live that way?

HEIDLER: I talked with an electrolarynx, which is an electronic device -- it makes you sound like a robot -- for 19 1/2 years.

KAGAN: Wow. So when and who first came to you and said, We have this idea: We want to do this transplant?

HEIDLER: It was Cleveland Clinic.

KAGAN: What did you think when they proposed it?

HEIDLER: Well, it was all new, and it was a lot of ups and downs to it. But I figured I'd try it because there was nothing else out there. I spent two years in the hospital in Pittsburgh, after the accident, and they said maybe in 15 to 20 years through technology they might be able to do something for you someday.

KAGAN: That's about the time line. When they did the transplant three years ago, they didn't just put the voice box in there. They put a lot of parts in there.

HEIDLER: Yes, they weren't quite sure how the organ was going to work without the right thyroid gland, or whatever, so I ended up with two thyroid glands, but everything worked out for the best.

KAGAN: You sound great. Did you sound like this right after operation, or has it taken some time?

HEIDLER: It took about 1 1/2 years to get a real, normal voice. For the first 1 1/2 years, I was kind of raspy, but in the last 1 1/2 years, I've gained tone, pitch and volume. Basically, it's a totally normal voice.

KAGAN: Our viewers, of course, can't help but notice that when you talk you have to put your thumb over the hole at the base of your throat. Why is that?

HEIDLER: For now, that's Dr. Strome's the backup. The larynx he put in me was so large, and as the vocal cords push together, and the airwaves not quite large enough -- until he does a couple more, he will not do what's called a cordotomy until a couple more under his belt. He's not thoroughly sure, and we're not sure either, being the first one, what could happen if would go into rejection or anything like that, or if I'd start to swell up with a really bad sore throat.

But that's coming in the near future.

KAGAN: You mentioned rejection. Some people think that these kind of organ transplants shouldn't take place. Because they're risky, you have to be on special drugs to keep your body from rejecting it. This really isn't a life-or-death matter.

HEIDLER: That's easy for them to say, but they don't wear my shoes.

KAGAN: For you, it's totally worth it.

HEIDLER: Yes. The benefits outweigh the risk any day.

KAGAN: A little curiosity factor here. The voice you have now, how does it sound different from the voice you had before your accident?

HEIDLER: Really, I think the voice is changed a little bit. We think it sounds more like my dad's voice...

KAGAN: Really?

HEIDLER: ... But my dad died of cancer in 1989. But I have two brothers and four sisters. You never really forget your mother's and dad's voice because they were always screaming at you when you were a little kid. I think I sound like my dad.

KAGAN: Do you know anything about the man who was the organ donor who you got your larynx from. HEIDLER: Yes, he was from Cincinnati. He died of a brain aneurysm. I do talk with the family a good bit. That was a gracious gift, what they did.

KAGAN: It was superb.

HEIDLER: It's unbelievable what these people did. You can't thank them enough. It's a gift of life.

KAGAN: Have they said that you sound anything like their relative?

HEIDLER: No. We have audio of the man's voice, because he sang in bluegrass band and everything -- and he was a very large man; he had a really low voice.

KAGAN: So this hasn't helped your singing?

HEIDLER: Well, yes. I'm getting there.

KAGAN: Very good. We appreciate -- you're interesting to talk to. Continued good luck with the larynx.

I imagine there will be more of these to come, for other people ,at your suggestion.

HEIDLER: We're working on one right now.

KAGAN: Well, congratulations on that, and success and continued good health to you. Tim Heidler, thanks for joining us today.

HEIDLER: Thank you.

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