TORS, THE NEW ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR THROAT CANCER SURGERY

A pioneering study at King’s College London has successfully tested a new robotic surgical system for treating head and neck condit

ions, marking a significant step forward in minimally invasive cancer care.

The study, published in the European Archives of Otolaryngology evaluated the Versius Surgical System, developed by UK-based CMR Surgical, for use in transoral robotic surgery (TORS). TORS is a technique that allows surgeons to remove tumors from the throat and mouth through the mouth, avoiding more invasive open surgeries.

Over an eight-month period, a team of experienced surgeons performed 30 robotic procedures—15 for benign conditions and 15 for cancers—using the Versius system. All surgeries were completed successfully without major complications or the need to convert to traditional open surgery.

While the system performed well overall, the study identified areas for improvement. Surgeons noted that some instruments were too bulky.

The research team recommends further multi-centre studies to evaluate the system’s broader applicability and to refine its instrumentation.

Source:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/kings-surgeons-trial-new-robotic-system-for-throat-cancer-surgery

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00405-024-08564-6