Flex Robotic System in transoral robotic surgery: The first 40 patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Flex Robotic System is a new robotic device specifically developed for transoral robotic surgery (TORS). METHODS: We performed a prospective clinical study, assessing the safety and efficacy of the Medrobotics Flex Robotic System. A total of 40 patients required a surgical procedure for benign lesions (n = 30) or T1 and T2 carcinomas (n = 10). Access and visualization of different anatomic subsites were individually graded by the surgeon. Setup times, access and visualization times, surgical results, as well as adverse events were documented intraoperatively. RESULTS: The lesions could be exposed and visualized properly in 38 patients (95%) who went on to have a surgical procedure performed with the Flex Robotic System, which were intraoperatively evaluated as successful. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: Lesions in the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or supraglottic larynx could be successfully resected using the Flex Robotic System, thus making the system a safe and effective tool in transoral robotic surgery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 471-475, 2017.