National Taiwan University Hospital makes head, neck cancer surgery breakthrough

2017/01/20

The world’s first minimally invasive procedure for removing head and neck tumors was unveiled Jan. 17 by National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei City.

Developed by NTUH’s Otolaryngology-Head and Neck team, the advanced surgical method effectively removes recalcitrant head and neck tumors and results in an aesthetically pleasing appearance. To date, NTUH has successfully performed more than 200 operations on patients with cancer in such organs as the lymph nodes, salivary glands and thyroid.

Dr. Yang Tsung-lin, attending physician at NTUH’s Department of Otolaryngology, said the procedure is a significant breakthrough as nearly 90 percent of cases require open surgery. “The new approach reduces the impact of operations on the head and neck and increases surgical precision.”

According to Yang, traditional head and neck open surgery leaves an unsightly 8-10 centimeter scar, whereas the new procedure leaves a smaller one. “It combines endoscopy, robotic surgical systems and an innovative instrument to leave a much smaller incision along the hairline of the posterior neck, making the approach more acceptable to patients,” he said.

The surgical method is made possible through the use of Yang’s Retractor, an automatic mechanical wound opener developed by the medico. Yang received a National Innovation Award for the device in 2015, and it is patented in a number of markets worldwide, including Taiwan, Japan, the U.S. and mainland China.

Yang said the device helps overcome the ever-present challenge in head and neck surgery of preserving important structures like blood vessels and nerves while keeping scars to a minimum. Surgeons can now expect to achieve optimal results through use of the retractor, he added.

The procedure was documented three years ago in an article authored by Yang and published by the prestigious British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. This was the first time a piece from Taiwan on robotic surgery for head and neck tumors appeared in a Science Citation Index journal.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=110529)