toh

The Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery team began using the da Vinci robot (in the background)
last month – another milestone in TOH’s robotics program.

The first two trans-oral robotic surgeries in Ottawa were performed last month, making TOH the second place in Canada to perform this type of surgery, in which the da Vinci robot is inserted into the mouth.

“We had two flawless cases,” said Dr. Michael Fung-Kee-Fung, who heads the robotics team that also includes nurses (led by RN Bob Weber), anesthesiologists (led by Dr. Calvin Thompson), and the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery team (led by Dr. Marty Corsten and Dr. Mike Odell).

The da Vinci Surgical System has been used since 2011 for prostate and gynecological surgeries; now the otolaryngology team will use it as well. The first case was a simple tonsillectomy and the second was to remove a cancerous tumour at the base of the tongue, explained Dr. Corsten. Using robotic surgery for early stage tonsil and tongue base cancers allows some patients to avoid chemotherapy and radiation therapy while other patients can avoid having the jaw split for access.

“We think it has significant advantages,” said Dr. Corsten. “The robot is extremely intuitive to use. It’s a very slick way of operating.” The robot can manoeuvre in tight spaces in the mouth and move in all directions, in ways that surgeons’ hands cannot.

A doctor from London, Ont., who has performed these surgeries before, attended and praised the high performance of TOH’s surgical team. “I have to believe this is what ‘top 10’ looks like – great teams doing innovative things,” said Dr. Fung-Kee-Fung.

You might also like…