Partial laryngectomy is an old but well-accepted surgical treatment for selected carcinomas of the larynx. Actually, the transcervical approach remains the most popular even if the transoral laser approach is useful in some cases. Transoral robotic surgery is a new promising surgical procedure in head and neck oncology as an alternative to conventional surgery with decreased morbidity. The aim of this study is a description of the state of the art by a review of the literature. We emphasize limits and future prospects on this topic with a special focus on dependability.