Classic approaches to the head and neck are well described in the surgical literature. These “external” or “open” approaches correspond to traditional anatomic dissections and are thus very familiar to head and neck surgeons. In contrast, the anatomy of the larynx and pharynx from a transoral robotic (TORS) standpoint must be approached from an “inside-out” perspective. Thorough knowledge of th...

OBJECTIVE To report a single institution's experience with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and its clinical outcomes. This was a retrospective study carried out at a university-affiliated teaching hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Forty-four consecutive TORS patients with benign and malignant diseases were reviewed. Data on demographics, clinical parameters, and diet were collected. Surgical ma...

OBJECTIVES To determine the rate of unplanned readmission after transoral robotic surgery (TORS), and to determine which patient or surgical factors increase the likelihood of readmission. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent TORS for squamous cell carcinoma at our institution from March 2010 through July 2016. Primary outcome was unplanned readmissio...

The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has markedly increased over the last three decades mostly due to human papillomavirus (HPV)-related infections. Cancers resulting from HPV infection bear a better prognosis than those that are smoking-related. Because HPV-positive patients are often younger, with lower rates of co-morbid illness and longer overall life expectancies,...

IMPORTANCE Patients who undergo surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have acceptable perioperative morbidity that is similar to that seen in other sleep-related surgical procedures. OBJECTIVE To perform the first large-scale evaluation of perioperative management and postoperative complications in patients who undergo transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for OSA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTI...

Ectopic thyroid gland may be detected at any place between foramen caecaum and normal thyroid localization due to inadequacy of the embryological migration of the thyroid gland. It has a prevalence varying between 1/10.000 and 1/100000 in the community. Usually follow-up without treatment is preferred except for obstructive symptoms, bleeding, and suspicion of malignity. Main symptoms are dysph...