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Paul Friedlander, MD, FACS, a surgeon at Tulane University School of Medicine, in New Orleans, is performing a new, less-invasive form of robotic surgery to treat head and neck cancers.
The technique, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year, uses Da Vinci® three-dimensional, high-definition robotic equipment to make an incision through the mouth to remove tumors without a visible scar.
Traditional open surgery to remove throat cancer typically requires a long incision through the jaw and throat and often requires a significant recovery time.
The new approach has fewer complications, faster recovery, and quicker return of speech and swallowing functions. Patients often can avoid chemotherapy following radiation treatment. Hospital discharge is within a day for the new procedure, compared to a week to 10 days following the traditional technique.
"This is a huge technological leap in terms of treatment," said Dr. Friedlander, chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Tulane. "Robotic-assisted surgery for tonsil and tongue cancers provides us with greater vision and precision and significantly improves the patient's quality of life by avoiding the large external incisions and longer recovery times associated with the traditional approaches."
Throat cancer occurs in the larynx and pharynx, including the base of the tongue and tonsils. About 36,000 new cases occur each year. The condition usually develops in adults over 50. Studies show people with a history of alcohol and tobacco use have a higher incidence of the disease, although new research has linked it to the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can be transmitted through oral sex.
Symptoms of throat cancer include abnormal-sounding breathing, coughing, neck or throat pain, difficulty swallowing, or a lump outside of the neck.
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