da Vinci Surgery
 

Head & Neck Surgery

When medication and other non-surgical treatments cannot relieve your symptoms, surgery is often recommended to treat many conditions, including throat cancer.

Throat cancer refers to a category of conditions that includes: tonsil cancer, cancer of the larynx (laryngeal cancer), cancer of the pharynx (pharyngeal cancer) and tongue cancer.

For many years, traditional open surgery has been the standard approach to treating many head and neck conditions. Yet, with open surgery there is the risk for significant pain, trauma, possible disfigurement, a long recovery and damage to surrounding organs and nerves. Fortunately, less invasive options are available that allow surgeons to access the target anatomy without a large external incision.

For complex cases, robotic-assisted da Vinci® Surgery may be the most effective and least invasive treatment choice. Through tiny 1-2 cm incisions, da Vinci surgeons can operate with greater vision, precision, dexterity and control to minimize the pain and risks associated with large incisions. Minimally invasive da Vinci Surgery may improve your recovery experience and outcomes with such benefits as:

  • Low blood loss1,2,3,4
  • No visible scarring or disfigurement1
  • Low need for tracheotomy1
  • Minimizes need for chemoradiation therapy1,2
  • Low rate of complications3
  • Short hospital stay3,4
  • Fast recovery, return to normal speech and swallowing3
  • Excellent cancer control3

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed since surgery is unique to each patient and procedure. da Vinci Surgery is considered effective, but may not be appropriate for everyone. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, the benefits and risks.

Learn More

To learn more about da Vinci Head and Neck Surgery utilizing the da Vinci Surgical System, click here. To find a da Vinci Head and Neck surgeon, use our surgeon locator.

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  1. O’Malley Jr. B, Weinstein GS, Snyder W, Hockstein, NG. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for base tongue neoplasms. Laryngoscope, August 2006;116.
  2. Weinstein GS, O’Malley Jr. BW, Synder W, Sherman E, Quon H. Transoral robotic surgery, radical tonsillectomy. Arch Otolaryngol, Head Neck Surg, Dec 2007;133(12).
  3. Weinstein GS,O’Malley Jr BS, Desai SC, Quon H. Transoral robotic surgery: does the ends justify the means? Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, 2009;17:126–131.
  4. Boudreaux BA, Rosenthal EL, Magnuson SJ, Newman RJ,, Desmond RA, Clemons L, Carroll WR; Robot-Assisted Surgery for Upper Aerodigestive Tract Neoplasms; Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg/Vol 135 (No. 4), Apr 2009.
The da Vinci® System is designed to assist surgeons in a range of minimally invasive surgical procedures, including transoral otolaryngology surgical procedures (ear, nose and throat surgery). These are restricted to benign and malignant tumors classified as T1 and T2. The system is indicated for adult and pediatric use--except when used for transoral otolaryngology surgical procedures, where it is indicated for adult use only.
While clinical studies support the use of the da Vinci ® Surgical System as an effective tool for minimally invasive surgery for specific indications, individual results may vary. There are no guarantees of outcome. All surgeries involve the risk of major complications. Before you decide on surgery, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Understanding the risks of each treatment can help you make the best decision for your individual situation. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual; it may not be applicable to your condition. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. Only your doctor can determine whether da Vinci Surgery is appropriate for your situation. All people depicted unless otherwise noted are models. © 2013 Intuitive Surgical. All rights reserved. Intuitive, Intuitive Surgical, da Vinci , da Vinci S, da Vinci Si, Single-Site, TilePro, FireFly, Skills Simulator, EndoWrist and EndoWrist One are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.