Imagine your voice once filled with laughter and joy, is now muted by dangerous throat cancer.
Each swallow becomes an agonizing action, as the taste of life’s pleasures fades away, and replaces your life with a bitter pain.
Laryngeal cancer- one of the most common forms of throat cancer can make your life full of pain and anxiety.
In recent years, India has seen phenomenal medical advancement. Transoral robotic surgery in India, or TORS, can help you get relief from this pain and anxiety. This cutting-edge procedure allows for the removal of cancerous growths with complete precision, sparing healthy tissue and minimizing the trauma.
Let’s learn more about this surgical procedure, its effectiveness, and its success in curing cancer.
What is Transoral Robotic Surgery?
Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) uses robotic arms, tiny cameras, and thin tubes to access areas of the throat and back of the mouth that are otherwise difficult to access.
The surgeon controls the movement of the robotic arm through the console and visualizes the precise location of the surgical site.
TORS finds its use in cancer of the throat, and base of the tongue and to treat obstructive sleep apnea ( a disease in which respiratory airway is obstructed).
What are the benefits of Transoral Robotic Surgery over Traditional Surgery?
Transoral Robotic Surgery has many advantages over traditional surgery.
It’s like having a tiny, precise robot assistant helping the surgeon work inside your mouth. Compared to traditional surgery, it has some big advantages like smaller cuts, less bleeding, and faster healing. Now, let’s look at why this type of surgery is so great.
Let’s have a look at its benefits:
Minimally Invasive
The doctor need not make an external incision through the jaw to access the back of the throat. There will be very less scars, and the mandible ( part of the mouth) need not be cut open by the surgeon.
Precision and Visualisation
The three-dimensional camera provides an exact view to the surgeon and the robotic arm can function much better than the human arm. When there is a perfect visualization of the affected site, the tumor can be removed very precisely without leaving any cancer cells at the margin. Moreover, because of the robotic function, the surrounding healthy tissues are also not affected.
Lesser Hospital Stay
Transoral robotic surgery has successfully reduced hospital stay to 2 days post-surgery. You will have less pain, less blood loss, less swallowing difficulty, and much more mental relief as compared to the traditional surgery.
Success Rate of Transoral Robotic Surgery
One of the trials reported a more than 98% success rate using the Da Vinci Robotic System in the case of oropharyngeal resection. There was no complicated re-surgery post-robotic surgery and the majority of the patients even did not take chemotherapy.
In another study, 97% of the patients did not use feeding tubes and did oral intake of food after 3 weeks post-surgery. There was also 95% disease-free survival after 2 years.
The success of Tors is more enduring in early oropharyngeal cancer. However, still, there are slight chances of nerve injury and muscles of tongue and throat injury which must be communicated to the patient before the surgery.
Clinical Trials Related to Transoral Robotic Surgery
The first clinical trial for transoral robotic surgery for head and neck carcinoma took place at Penn Medicine in the United States where more than 400 patients participated.
Needless to say, the clinical trial was a great success and TORS has been accepted as a standard of care surgery across the world.
Clinical Trial of TORS for large tongue base and obstruction in the airway in case of sleep apnea is under progress.
Transoral Robotic Surgery – News of a Case Report from India
There was a case of parapharyngeal lymphangioma (a type of benign tumor in the throat) in a patient from India who was successfully treated with TORS. Traditional surgery had failed to remove the tumour and the patient had an uneventful recovery post TORS.
Therefore, TORS has not only been used successfully in laryngeal cancer (voice box cancer), hypopharyngeal cancer (type of throat cancer), tongue cancer, or oral cancer at the back of the mouth, but also finds its successful implementation in treating “difficult to remove” benign tumors.
Cost of Transoral Robotic Surgery in India
The cost of TORS in India varies from 4,00,000 INR (5000 USD) to 6,00,000 INR (7000 USD) depending on the city, the reputation of the doctor, and the healthcare facilities.
It also depends on the type of cancer and the extent of the disease.
Role of MedicoExperts in Curing Patients with Transoral Robotic Surgery
When faced with the reality of cancer of the throat, tongue, or oral cavity, it’s natural to feel uncertain about the treatment options available. That’s where MedicoExperts enters the picture, ready to guide you through your journey towards hope and healing.
At MedicoExperts, we understand the fear and anxiety that can accompany a diagnosis. We see you as more than just patients and try to provide you with the highest level of care and support, ensuring that you receive the treatment you deserve.
In the realm of cancer and neck tumor treatment, Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) stands as a beacon of hope. MedicoExperts is at the forefront, transforming lives through this groundbreaking surgical technique. With TORS, patients regain their strength, their voices, and their vigor of life.
TORS, guided by the skilled hands of the surgeons, and the robotic arms, preserve your vital functions and optimize your recovery.
But it’s not just about the surgery itself. At MedicoExperts, we believe in a holistic approach to your healing. Our team of experts, known as the tumor board including oncologists, radiologists, and speech therapists, will walk beside you every step of the way and will be your support system.
Conclusion
Transoral robotic surgery is a groundbreaking advancement in the field of oncosurgery.
If you have any type of throat cancer, and fear that you will lose your voice or power of speech, then TORS will come to your rescue. Not only that, your swallowing will improve and you can eat food through your mouth without the aid of the feeding tube.
Earlier there was fear of infection, blood loss, and painful side effects of chemotherapy for patients with head and neck cancer. But with the advent of TORS, things have started changing rapidly.
Now, you start getting better and better within a few days of surgery. TORS has transformed not only the field of medicine but also has brought impactful changes in your life.
MedicoExperts tumor board recommends the use of TORS for many selected patients who would have otherwise suffered from immense pain post-traditional surgery. The tumor board is a blessing for numerous cancer patients, who not only need emotional support but also deserve the best of the cancer treatment strategies available in India. It is the tumor board of MedicoExperts that provides the best possible treatment and takes care of the patients wholeheartedly for a significant change in the lives of cancer survivors.
FAQ
Q1. Do surgeons prefer robotic surgery?
A: Nowadays, cancer surgeons prefer robotic surgeries because of more precision, and ease of accessibility of cancer sites. Moreover, there are few complications and fewer hospital stays.
Q2. What is the success rate of robotic surgery in India?
A: In India, robotic surgery has a 98% success rate if it is done in a reputed hospital by an efficient and trained oncosurgeon.
Q3. Is robotic surgery risky?
A: Robotic Surgery is much less risky and has very few complications, unlike traditional surgery which requires open surgical procedures like mandibulectomy (removal of the lower jaw).
References
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/496993
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3538408/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/lio2.1005
https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/find-a-program-or-service/ear-nose-and-throat/transoral-robotic-surgery-tors/clinical-trials
https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-health-care-professionals/for-physicians/physician-education-and-resources/clinical-briefings/2018/january/transoral-robotic-surgery-for-sleep-apnea
https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6247/full/v10/i2/23.htm
