Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

Transoral laser surgery may provide a much less invasive treatment option for certain throat cancers. Using a surgical camera and microscope passed through the mouth, the surgeon directs the da Vinci robot to the tumor location, avoiding the need for disfiguring surgical techniques and tracheotomy.

This approach also may minimize or eliminate the need for chemotherapy and/or radiation and the potential side effects that come with those treatments. However, surgeons are limited by line-of-sight, instrumentation and optics – which means this approach may not be appropriate for all cases.