Transoral Robotic Cleft Palate Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Robotic Surgery
• Cleft Palate Repair

Background:

• Cleft palate repair is a complex surgical challenge.
• Traditional surgical methods for soft palate reconstruction have limitations.
• Minimally invasive techniques are sought to improve outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for soft palate cleft reconstruction.
• To compare TORS with conventional manual surgical techniques.

Main Methods:

• The da Vinci Surgical Robot was utilized for dissection and reconstruction of palatal muscles in 10 patients with palatal clefts.
• Cadaveric studies informed optimal patient and robot positioning.
• A control group of 30 patients underwent surgery with manual instruments.
• Outcomes were assessed with a minimum 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Robotic surgery provided excellent dexterity and 3D depth perception for precise muscle dissection and suturing.
• Transoral access was efficient and safe.
• Surgical duration was longer with the robotic approach (122 ± 8 minutes) compared to manual instruments (87 ± 6 minutes), P < .0001.
• No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed in either group.

Conclusions:

• Transoral robotic surgery is a safe and feasible method for palatal surgery.
• The precision of TORS may minimize damage to vital structures, potentially reducing fistula formation.
• This technique holds promise for improving palatal and Eustachian tube function in cleft palate patients.