Robotic Reconstructive Surgery

• Published in: Atlas of Head and Neck Robotic Surgery pp. 149 - 160
• Main Authors: Ibrahim, Amir E., Sarhane, Karim A., Selber, Jesse C.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Springer International Publishing AG 2017; Springer International Publishing
• Subjects: Da Vinci; Free tissue flaps and head and neck neoplasms; Head and neck reconstruction; Head and neck surgery; Oropharyngeal reconstruction; Robotic surgery; SURGERY
• ISBN: 3319495763; 9783319495767
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-49578-1_16

With its enhanced precision, greater degrees of freedom, superior three-dimensional vision, improved resolution, and tremor elimination, robotic surgery has revolutionized the modern treatment of a multitude of surgical diseases. It is now playing a major role in minimally invasive otolaryngologic procedures. The robot has not only enabled otolaryngologists to resect head and neck tumors with minimal morbidity, but has also allowed plastic surgeons to reconstruct the resulting defects with superior levels of technical precision and meticulousness while obviating the need for additional incisions. In this review, we illustrate the current clinical applications of robotic reconstructive surgery in otolaryngology and analyze its limitations based on the literature and on our own experience in the field.