title: Transoral robotic tongue base resection in obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome: a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of tongue base management by means of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in patients suffering from the obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) primarily related to hypertrophy of the tongue base.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with OSAHS principally related to tongue base hypertrophy were managed by means of TORS (Intuitive da Vinci(R)). Patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 months were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients [mean preoperative apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI): 38.3 +/- 23.5 SD] were included in the study. By means of robotic technology, the tongue base and the epiglottis could be managed. The postoperative polysomnographic results were fairly good (mean postoperative AHI: 20.6 +/- 17.3 SD), and the functional results (pain, swallowing and quality of life) are very encouraging; altogether, complications were rare and of minor importance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transoral robotic tongue base management in patients with OSAHS primarily related to tongue base hypertrophy is feasible and well tolerable. These preliminary results are encouraging and worthy of further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Surgery, ENT and Oral Surgery Unit, Ospedale Morgagni Pietrantoni, University of Pavia, Forlì, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vicini
authors.forename: Iacopo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dallan
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Canzi
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frassineti
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: La Pietra
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montevecchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017286:Polysomnography; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome