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Transoral robotic thyroidectomy: a preclinical feasibility study using the da Vinci Xi platform

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Abstract

Transoral thyroid surgery allows the surgeon to conceal incisions within the oral cavity without significantly increasing the amount of required dissection. TORT provides an ideal scarless, midline access to the thyroid gland and bilateral central neck compartments. This approach, however, presents multiple technical challenges. Herein, we present our experience using the latest generation robotic surgical system to accomplish transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT). In two human cadavers, the da Vinci Xi surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was used to complete TORT. Total thyroidectomy and bilateral central neck dissection was successfully completed in both cadavers. The da Vinci Xi platform offered several technologic advantages over previous robotic generations including overhead docking, narrower arms, and improved range of motion allowing for improved execution of previously described TORT techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jonathon O. Russell, Salem I. Noureldine, Mai G. Al Khadem, Hamad A. Chaudhary, Andrew T. Day, Ralph P. Tufano & Jeremy D. Richmon

  2. Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Hoon Yub Kim

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA

    Jeremy D. Richmon

Authors
  1. Jonathon O. Russell
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  2. Salem I. Noureldine
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  3. Mai G. Al Khadem
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  4. Hamad A. Chaudhary
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  5. Andrew T. Day
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  6. Hoon Yub Kim
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  7. Ralph P. Tufano
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  8. Jeremy D. Richmon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeremy D. Richmon.

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Conflict of interest

Jonathon O. Russell, MD; Salem I. Noureldine, MD; Mai Al Khadem, MBBCh; Hamad A. Chaudhary, MD; Andrew T. Day, MD; Hoon Yub Kim, MD, PhD; Ralph P. Tufano, MD; and Jeremy D. Richmon, MD declare that they do not have any conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

Funding

Intuitive Surgical (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) provided material support for this study. Intuitive Surgical had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Russell, J.O., Noureldine, S.I., Al Khadem, M.G. et al. Transoral robotic thyroidectomy: a preclinical feasibility study using the da Vinci Xi platform. J Robotic Surg 11, 341–346 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-016-0661-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-016-0661-1

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