Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery
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Arch. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. · Nov 2011
Comparative StudyPatient-perceived and objective functional outcomes following transoral robotic surgery for early oropharyngeal carcinoma.
To evaluate changes in patient-perceived swallowing function over time following transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for primary T1 and T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. ⋯ After TORS-assisted resection of T1 and T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, approximately one-third of patients will experience a sustained decrease in perceived swallowing function. However, ongoing improvement of swallowing function over time is likely even after 12 months. Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after TORS should be counseled about the possibility of prolonged gastrostomy tube dependence.