Oral surgery using Robotic system performed on cancer patient

CHENNAI: A successful trans oral robotic surgery assisted total laryngectomy (TORS-TL) was performed using the pioneering Da Vinci Robotic Surgery system on a cancer patient at a private hospital in the city recently. The TORS-TL approach significantly improves all aspects of the complicated salvage total laryngectomy procedure and creates better outcomes.

The surgery was performed on the patient, a 48-year-old man with a history of recurrent voice box cancer at The Head And Neck Centre & Hospital (THANC). The team was led by Dr Vidhyadharan Sivakumar, Director of THANC Hospital and Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon.

The procedure is a minimally invasive approach that requires limited open incisions and less dissection on a previously irradiated neck and throat region, as will be the case for many cancer patients. Dr Vidhyadharan Sivakumar said that advanced technology combined with medical expertise leads to extraordinary outcomes.

"TORS-TL in selected patients, is considered a relatively safer and highly feasible procedure that reduces or eliminates many of these problems and has also shown good morbidity and mortality outcomes. Patients have demonstrated expedited post-operative recovery in terms of swallowing and voice function as well," he said.

The procedure has significant benefits over the traditional non-robotic or transoral approach, which requires extensive dissection in a complex anatomical region. This often results in potential damage to sensitive tissues and scarring, fistulas, saliva leaking, neck swelling and other problems; and is correlated with inhibited quality of life or higher morbidity rates.