TRANS-ORAL ROBOTIC SURGERY
Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a procedure that is used primarily to remove tumours from the the throat. Your surgeon sits at a remote control console a short distance from the operating table and controls instruments placed through the mouth into the throat. The surgeon has precise control of the instruments and a magnified 3-D view of the structures during the surgery. This allows for fine movements in tiny spaces, and the ability to operate around corners. This approach allows for faster recovery and shorter hospital stays when compared to traditional surgery.
Robotic surgery has been used to treat throat cancer is the USA for several years. It was introduced in Melbourne in 2013 and is now an alternative to radiation therapy, which for many years has been the traditional treatment. Radiation leads to significant scarring in the entire throat which can develop over several years resulting in swallowing problems. The trend towards robotic surgery has been due to the lower long-term side effects. If radiation is required after surgery the dose may be reduced, leading to fewer side effects. Dr Magarey is involved in research at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to determine the effectiveness of both approaches to throat cancer, and all cases are discussed at our multidisciplinary meeting.
Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery may be used to treat:
Oral Cancers
Tongue Cancers
Throat Cancers
Tonsil Cancers
Matthew is one of Melbourne’s most experienced TORS surgeons, and performs robotic surgery at Epworth Richmond and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He will be happy to personally assess you to determine if your case is suitable for Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery.
More information about the robotic system that Dr Magarey uses can be found here.