Preoperative predictors of difficult oropharyngeal exposure for transoral robotic surgery: The Pharyngoscore

Transoral robotic surgery for salivary carcinomas of the base of tongue: a multicenter REFCOR study

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) allows minimally invasive surgical access to the oropharynx. Its benefits are well documented for squamous cell carcinomas, but not for salivary carcinomas. The aim of this study was to describe the French experience of TORS regarding salivary gland carcinomas of the base of tongue (BOT). This was a retrospective multicentric study with a national cohort. We included all patients treated surgically for a BOT salivary gland carcinoma from January 2009 to December 2018. Descriptive analyses were performed. Among the 50 patients included, radical excision was performed through an open approach (OA; n = 33) or using TORS (n = 17). T1-T2 tumors were more common in the TORS-group (76.4% vs 60.6%), and so were low-grade tumors (58.8% vs 38.7%). Surgical margins were <1mm in 46.7% of patients in the TORS-group and 52% of patients in the OA-group. After 51.7 months of follow-up, two patients (11.8%) presented with a local recurrence in the TORS-group, versus eight patients (24.2%) in the OA-group. The rate of tracheostomy was 41.2% in the TORS-group and 63.6% in the OA-group. The rate of gastrostomy was 11.8% in the TORS-group and 36.4% in the OA-group. TORS is an acceptable minimally invasive option for selected BOT salivary carcinomas. It may provide good functional and oncological outcomes in selected cases, despite a high rate of close margins.

Free Flap Reconstruction of the Oropharynx

Reconstruction of the oropharynx plays a critical role in preserving quality of life after surgical resection of oropharyngeal carcinoma. Free tissue is one of several reconstructive options, which can closely approximate native oropharyngeal anatomy and lead to favorable functional outcomes in carefully selected patients. Here, the authors provide an overview of the indications, treatment options, functional outcomes, potential complications, and future considerations for free flap reconstruction of the oropharynx.

Enhancing quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: a comparative analysis of 3D exoscope-assisted surgery vs. traditional approaches

Introduction

The increasing population of survivors of head and neck carcinomas is becoming more conspicuous. Consequently, the pivotal role of quality of life, particularly elucidated through the assessment of dysphagia and dysphonia, is progressively influencing the decision-making process. The current study aims to assess whether VITOM 3D could offer a comparable post-treatment quality of life to traditional approaches for patients with laryngeal cancer and oro-hypopharyngeal cancer.

Methods

A case series of laryngeal cancer and oro-hypopharyngeal cancer patients treated either with an exoscopic-assisted surgical setup and with conventional treatments (transoral microsurgery and radio-chemotherapy) at the Otolaryngology Unit of IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, is presented. The post-treatment quality of life of the two cohorts were compared through the administration of the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire, Voiceik Handicap Index-10, M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory were administrated to both cohorts of patients.

Results

In the laryngeal cancer group, a total of 79 patients were included. Of these, 50.1% underwent transoral exoscope-assisted surgery, while 49.9% underwent primary transoral microscopic-assisted surgical approach. No significant differences were observed in terms of the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire and Voice Handicap Index-10 between the two subgroups. Conversely, in the oro-hypopharyngeal cancer group, 43 patients were included. Of these, 37.2% underwent primary transoral exoscope-assisted surgery, while 62.8% received (chemo)radiotherapy. No notable differences were reported in terms of the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire and M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory between the transoral exoscope-assisted surgery and (chemo)radiotherapy subgroups.

Conclusions

Assessments of quality of life, conducted through the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire questionnaire, dysphonia evaluations using the Voice Handicap Index-10, and dysphagia assessments employing the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory questionnaire, demonstrate analogous outcomes between conventional treatment modalities and transoral interventions utilizing the 3D exoscope.

Transoral Robotic Surgery for Head and Neck Cancer: Advances and Residual Knowledge Gaps

Minimally invasive surgery is a growing field in surgical oncology. After acquiring its first Food and Drug Administration approval in 2009 for T1–T2 malignancies of the oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has gained popularity thanks to its wristed instruments and magnified three-dimensional view, enhancing surgical comfort in remote-access areas. Its indications are expanding in the treatment of head and neck cancer, i.e., resection of tumors of the larynx, hypopharynx, or parapharyngeal space. However, this expansion must remain cautious and based on high-level evidence, in order to guarantee safety and oncological outcomes which are comparable to conventional approaches. This narrative review assesses the current role of TORS in head and neck cancer from an evidence-based perspective, and then identifies what knowledge gaps remain to be addressed.

Feasibility and safety of the da Vinci Xi surgical robot for transoral robotic surgery

The collective experience supporting the safety and efficacy of transoral robotic surgery continues to grow. The surgical robot da Vinci Xi has been used successfully off-label for head and neck surgery, including transoral robotic surgery. We evaluated operative outcomes and efficacy of the da Vinci Xi surgical robot for transoral surgery and compared our experience with the da Vinci Si and published da Vinci Xi experiences in transoral surgery. Nineteen total cases were retrospectively reviewed, six with the Si and thirteen with the Xi. Our experience with the da Vinci Xi showed similar peri- and postoperative outcomes to our Si experience the available da Vinci Xi literature. We advocate for careful patient selection while also considering the surgical team's experience with TORS. Transoral robotic surgery with the da Vinci Xi has specific advantages, and support is accumulating for its use in TORS. However, this indication remains off-label, and we do not anticipate the manufacturer will seek approval for this indication given the ongoing development and regulatory approvals of da Vinci Single Port for similar indications.

Is the exoscope ready to replace the operative microscope in transoral surgery?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Exoscopes are external digital devices that provide enhanced and magnified visualization of the surgical field. They usually have dedicated digital controls and a more compact mechanical structure than operative microscopes and current robotic surgical systems. This technology has significant potential in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery, especially concerning the field of transoral approaches. We herein analysed the overall technical characteristics of currently available exoscopic systems and contextualized their advantages and drawbacks in the setting of transoral surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS

The actual advantages of exoscopy are still indeterminate, as it has only been applied to limited surgical series. However, its specific properties are herein compared with conventional transoral microsurgery and transoral robotic surgery, discussing the available literature on such a topic, filtered on the basis of the authors' experience and its possible future evolutions. Finally, a summary of current experiences in the field of three-dimensional (3D) transoral exoscopic surgery is presented, highlighting differences compared with standard approaches.

SUMMARY

3D-exoscopic transoral surgery will possibly play an essential role in future management of early laryngeal and oropharyngeal lesions, significantly shifting the paradigms of this type of procedures.

Perioperative Mortality Risk in Patients Undergoing Transoral Robotic Surgery for T1-T2 Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A National Cancer Database Study

The National Cancer Database is a joint project of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society. The American College of Surgeons and the Commission on Cancer have not verified and are not responsible for the analytic or statistical methods used or for the conclusions drawn from these data by the investigators.