Robotic selective neck dissection by a postauricular facelift approach: comparison with conventional neck dissection

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery Vol. 150; no. 3; p. 394
• Main Authors: Tae, Kyung, Ji, Yong Bae, Song, Chang Myeon, Jeong, Jin Hyeok, Cho, Seok Hyun, Lee, Seung Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - secondary; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Cicatrix - prevention & control; Ear Auricle; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Head and Neck Neoplasms - secondary; Head and Neck Neoplasms - surgery; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Neck Dissection - methods; Retrospective Studies; Rhytidoplasty - methods; Robotics - methods; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Surgical Flaps; Treatment Outcome; endoscopic neck surgery; robotic neck dissection; facelift approach; scarless surgery; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1177/0194599813515431

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of robot-assisted neck dissection by a postauricular facelift approach in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), compared with conventional neck dissection. Case series with chart review. University tertiary care hospital. Thirty HNSCC patients with clinically node negative necks (cN0) who underwent robot-assisted selective neck dissection (SND) by a postauricular facelift approach (11 patients, 12 necks) or conventional neck dissection (19 patients, 21 necks). The mean age was lower in the robotic group (P = .030). However, the distributions of gender and TNM stage did not differ between the two groups. The robotic SND was completed successfully in all patients. The mean operative time was longer in the robotic group (215 ± 56 min) than the conventional group (144 ± 43 min) (P < .001). The mean numbers of lymph nodes removed were 25.0 ± 7.4 and 28.9 ± 8.2 in the robotic and conventional group, respectively (P = .192), and the number of lymph nodes removed at each level also did not differ between the 2 groups. In addition, there was no significant difference in postoperative complications between the 2 groups, but cosmetic satisfaction was higher in the robot group (P = .002). Robot-assisted SND by a postauricular facelift approach is comparable to conventional neck dissection in selected patients with cN0 HNSCC and results in excellent postoperative cosmesis.