title: Early results of robotic assisted nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive nasopharyngectomy with the da Vinci surgical robot has been shown to be a feasible operation for salvage of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The current case series presents the early results of robotic nasopharyngectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective series of patients who underwent robotic nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a single institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients underwent robotic nasopharyngectomy. The median operating time was 225 minutes. Median follow-up time was 23.8 months. Nine patients had clear resection margins, 2 patients had close margins, and 1 patient had positive margin. Two patients developed local recurrence and 1 patient had distant metastasis. Two patients in the cohort died of unrelated causes. The 2-year local control rate was 86%. The 2-year overall survival and disease-free survival was 83% and 61%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early results of robotic nasopharyngectomy showed a high local control rate. The operating time was comparable to open surgery and morbidities were low.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Raymond K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Victor S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: To
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Ambrose C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Wai-Kuen
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: Jimmy Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors.forename: William I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D061646:Operative Time; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010611:Pharyngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: nasopharyngeal carcinoma; nasopharyngectomy; transoral robotic surgery