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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Identification and Protection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve during Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy
Published on: October 24, 2025
Transoral robotic supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cartilaginous framework preservation
Emre Vural1,2, Ozlem E Tulunay-Ugur3,4, James Y Suen3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Slot 543, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. vuralemrea@uams.edu.
Abstract:
To report the technical feasibility of performing transoral robotic supracricoid partial laryngectomy with preservation of the thyroid cartilage. This is a case report from a tertiary-care academic institution. A patient with recurrent T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy with negative margins and preservation of the laryngeal framework using transoral robotic surgery, where an adequate exposure to the endolarynx was obtained by using a Feyh-Kastenbauer retractor. The patient was successfully decannulated in postoperative week 4, and his gastrostomy tube was removed in postoperative week 6. Transoral robotic surgery may be feasible in select glottic/subglottic laryngeal lesions, if adequate exposure is obtained.

