Transoral robotic surgery for pharyngeal stenosis

Background: Pharyngeal stenosis is a complication of head and neck cancer and sleep apnea treatment that results in functional impairment. Due to the location of the stenosis and tendency to recur, surgical management is challenging. Robotic surgery may allow these areas to be treated with surgical technique that would be difficult using traditional approaches. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients who underwent transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for pharyngeal stenosis at a tertiary hospital system. Results: Five patients were identified, ages 8-75years. Length of follow-up ranged from 1-12months. There was one failure, a 74year old male with a history of chemoradiation to the area who has required additional procedures. Conclusion: TORS may offer improved surgical access to the pharynx in patients who require complex reconstruction that would otherwise be very difficult. Appropriate patient selection is necessary and long-term follow-up is warranted for the selected cases.