Robotic surgery is particularly useful for procedures in the oropharynx (back of the mouth). The robot which is controlled by the surgeon can be used to remove tumors which would otherwise require large obvious incisions. This improves recovery and minimizes the potential negative affects on functioning such as speech and swallow.

In 2012, It was used in an estimated 200,000 surgeries.
The system is called “da Vinci” in part because of Leonardo da Vinci’s study of human anatomy, eventually led to the design of the first known robot in history.
Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive, FDA-approved, FDA-approved, procedure used to remove benign and malignant tumors from the throat, base of tongue, and tonsils, particularly for HPV-related cancers. Using high-definition 3D cameras and precise robotic arms, surgeons access the throat through the mouth, eliminating the need for external incisions or jaw splitting.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a major global health concern, causing almost half a million deaths worldwide each year. The need for accurate prognostic tools to guide treatment and improve outcomes is vast and urgent.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new field of science in which computers will provide decisions-supporting tools to help doctors make difficult clinical choices. Recent AI applications in otolaryngology include head and neck oncology, rhinology, neurotology, and laryngology. The aim of the study “Current role of artificial intelligence in head and neck cancer surgery: a systematic review of literature” is to describe the potential uses of AI in head and neck oncology with a special focus on the surgical field.

The authors performed a systematic review, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, in the main medical databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, considering all original studies published until February 2023 about the role of AI in head and neck cancer surgery. The search strategy included a combination of the following terms: “artificial intelligence” or “machine learning” and “head and neck cancer”.

Overall, 303 papers were identified and after duplicate removal (12 papers) and excluding papers not written in English (1 paper) and off-topic (4 papers), papers were assessed for eligibility; finally, only 12 papers were included.

The authors report the first systematic review in the literature concerning the role of AI in head and neck cancer surgery. An increasing influx of AI applications to clinical problems in otolaryngology is expected, so specialists should be increasingly prepared to manage the constant changes. It will always remain critical for clinicians to use their skills and knowledge to critically evaluate the additional information provided by AI and make the final decisions on each patient.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10645467/