Robotic Surgery and Head and Neck Reconstruction

Abstract

Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has found widespread use among numerous surgical specialties over the past two decades. Notable advantages of RAS over conventional surgery include the reduction of physiologic hand tremor, fully articulating instrumentation, and improved visualization. Since being granted approval in the USA for transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in 2009, RAS has transformed the management of difficult to access head and neck tumors, particularly in the oropharynx. Procedures that traditionally required invasive, open approaches may now be completed with minimally invasive techniques and with heighted precision through robotic instrumentation. The benefits of robotic surgery are particularly advantageous to the reconstructive surgeon; however, applications of RAS for head and neck reconstruction are just beginning to be explored. In this chapter, we provide a concise background on robotic surgery, discuss current applications for head and neck reconstruction, highlight new technologies, and propose future directions for the field.