The emergence of endoscopic head and neck surgery

Abstract

Endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques represent a natural evolution for the discipline of head and neck surgery. Endoscopic head and neck surgery (eHNS) encompasses transoral laser microsurgery, transoral robotic surgery, as well as video-assisted and robotic surgery of the neck and thyroid. In the next 5 years, with robotic surgery and laser technology as a common platform, we foresee the development and widespread use of eHNS procedures, via transoral and transaxillary approaches.