Comparison of Surgical Outcomes of Transoral Robotic Surgery and Conventional Surgery in Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
Keywords:
TORS in Oral cancer, Open surgery in oral cancer, Transoral robotic surgery, Management of head and neck cancer, conventional surgery in oral cancer, Management of oropharyngeal cancerAbstract
Background: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has recently emerged as a surgical technique for oropharyngeal carcinoma. We performed a systematic review to investigate the clinical safety and effectiveness of robotic surgery compared with conventional open surgery in oropharyngeal carcinoma.
Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted using the English-language databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED and the COCHRANE LIBRARY, as well as local databases containing publications from 2013 to 2020. The outcomes included complications, as well as oncologic, and functional outcomes.
Results: twelve studies (n=4802 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, TORS, when compared with open surgery, appears to have better functional results (less hospital time, decannulation) and fewer intraoperative and post-operative complications. There is no significant difference when assessing the oncological outcomes (positive margins, survival rate) when comparing both techniques.
Conclusion: Trans Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is advantageous over open surgery with the incidence of the complications rate, post operative oncologic outcome, functional outcome in the surgical management of early-stage oropharyngeal carcinoma.