Politics
Kathy Griffin Reveals Brutal Medical Struggles After Latest Surgery
Kathy Griffin recently updated her fans on her health. Last Tuesday, the 63-year-old “comedian,” shared a video on Instagram detailing her vocal cord surgery. Griffin gave her fans an update on her struggles with her vocal cord issues since her lung cancer diagnosis in 2021,
“I’m getting an implant in my left vocal cord, which was left permanently paralyzed during my lung cancer surgery where they took out half my left lung,” she said. “I also have an aperture, which is a tear above my vocal cords. And that’s why sometimes when I’m doing stand-up, my voice goes to a higher pitch.”
“So anyway, I’m never nervous before surgery, and I’ve had quite a few. But I am a little nervous about this one because it’s my voice, and I can’t talk at all for two weeks which is going to drive me crazy.”
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A few days after, she posted an update with a graphic photo of her neck. “Vocal cord surgery went well,” she wrote. “As you can see some scarring and swelling. It will be worth it if I get some of my voice back.”
Griffin was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2021. She made the announcement herself revealing that despite never smoking, she had developed stage one lung cancer and would be undergoing surgery to have half of her left lung removed. Fortunately, she shared that her cancer was caught early and was operable, which meant that she likely wouldn’t need chemotherapy or radiation after the surgery.
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Following her surgery, she experienced a partially paralyzed vocal cord, which affected her voice, a crucial tool in her career as a comedian. This led to further medical interventions to address her vocal cord issues. Last year Griffin revealed to PEOPLE that her initial vocal cord surgery in May of 2023 was quite severe.
The procedure was needed to repair damage sustained nearly three years ago during her lung cancer treatment. “It was really gnarly,” Griffin admitted. “They use a hook to open your mouth,” noting that she had to be under general anesthesia for the 15-minute operation because of the invasive equipment used.
“Because there’s a freaking needle down my throat!” Griffin elaborated on the procedure’s specifics, “Then they put a needle on a camera and they put it down your frickin’ throat. And then they inject your little teeny meanie vocal cord with this substance.”
“Because my left cord is paralyzed, they actually inject this thing called Prolaryn Plus that’s like collagen,” she said. The injectable substance helps to thicken the left vocal cord, allowing it to meet the right vocal cord more effectively. The process aids in closing the vocal cords, which is essential for producing a clearer voice.
“The thing that’s been really crazy and kind of like, a mindf–k, is that when I had cancer, I had no symptoms, then I got the surgery where they took out half my left lung. And now it’s like, I sound and feel like I have cancer,” she said last year. “The thing that’s frustrating is I actually sound like I’m in pain, but I’m not.”
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