Transoral Robotic Partial Glossectomy and Supraglottoplasty for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

The standard treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. However, when PAP therapy fails, surgery may be an option to alleviate the obstruction. The base of tongue plays an important role in this obstruction, and addressing the tongue base surgically can be a challenge for the head and neck surgeon. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) using the da Vinci Surgical System provides a safe and effective way to approach and manage the base of tongue and supraglottis. Advantages of TORS include wide-field high-definition 3-D visualization, precise instrumentation, and when compared with open procedures, less operative time, quicker recovery, no external scars, and comparable tissue resection.

Keywords: Base of tongue; Obstructive sleep apnea; Robotic; Sleep apnea; Surgery; TORS; Treatment.