title: Applications of Evolving Robotic Technology for Head and Neck Surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess the use and potential benefits of a new robotic system for transoral radical tonsillectomy, transoral supraglottic laryngectomy, and retroauricular thyroidectomy in a cadaver dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three previously described robotic procedures (transoral radical tonsillectomy, transoral supraglottic laryngectomy, and retroauricular thyroidectomy) were performed in a cadaver using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System. Surgical exposure and access, operative time, and number of collisions were examined objectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The new robotic system was used to perform transoral radical tonsillectomy with dissection and preservation of glossopharyngeal nerve branches, transoral supraglottic laryngectomy, and retroauricular thyroidectomy. There was excellent exposure without any difficulties in access. Robotic operative times (excluding set-up and docking times) for the 3 procedures in the cadaver were 12.7, 14.3, and 21.2 minutes (excluding retroauricular incision and subplatysmal elevation), respectively. No robotic arm collisions were noted during these 3 procedures. The retroauricular thyroidectomy was performed using 4 robotic ports, each with 8 mm instruments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of updated and evolving robotic technology improves the ease of previously described robotic head and neck procedures and may allow surgeons to perform increasingly complex surgeries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: W Greer
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Albergotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Department of Otolaryngology, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA duvvuriu@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Umamaheswar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Duvvuri
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: head and neck; head and neck cancer; robotic surgery; thyroid; transoral robotic surgery