Surgeon builds windpipes from largest artery in human body
French doctors led by surgeon Emmanuel Martinod have been creating trachea (windpipe) using aortas, the largest artery in the human body. Aortas are designed to withstand pressure, as they channel blood pumped by the heart. Martinod has performed over a dozen transplants since 2009 using aortas from deceased donors while one of his patients has even taken up long-distance running.