Transoral robotic surgery frontiers

Transoral robotic surgery is a exciting field that continues to develop and push the boundaries of current procedural ability and challenges historical treatment paradigms. With the first use of a surgical robot in 1985, to the first clinical use of the robot transorally in 2005, there was some lag in adoption of robotic techniques in the head and neck region. However, since 2005 transoral robotic surgery has rapidly gained momentum amongst head and neck surgeons. With FDA approval of the da Vinci robot in 2009, transoral robotic surgery is currently offered as a treatment modality for malignant and nonmalignant disease of the head and neck region. This new technology is being used to reconsider historical treatment paradigms for malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract due to the fact that minimally invasive surgical access to the oropharynx and larynx has been improved. Along with this enhanced access have come innovative procedures and uses of the technology for multiple facets of head and neck disease. Technology continues to improve and innovation in surgical robotics is expected to continue as more companies attempt to capture this market. This article aims to provide a view at the landscape of transoral robotic surgery and explore the future frontiers.