Therapeutic robot-assisted neck dissection via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach in head and neck cancer: a comparative study with conventional transcervical neck dissection.

BACKGROUND In a previous study of robot-assisted neck dissection (RAND), we limited the indication for neck dissection in clinical N0 head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was for us to present the comparison of the results of therapeutic RAND via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach with outcomes from conventional neck dissection in clinical node-positive head and neck cancer. METHODS This study involved a total of 53 patients who underwent neck dissection for head and neck cancer. Operative and pathologic parameters were assessed. RESULTS The RAND and the conventional neck dissection group consisted of 20 and 33 patients, respectively. The mean operative time for the RAND group was significantly longer than that of the conventional neck dissection group. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes in the RAND group was not significantly different from the conventional neck dissection group. CONCLUSION Therapeutic RAND via a retroauricular or modified facelift approach was successful with satisfactory esthetic results in patients with node-positive head and neck cancer.