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. 2020 Aug;16(4):e2106.
doi: 10.1002/rcs.2106. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Use of the transoral robotic surgery to treat patients with recurrent lingual tonsillitis

Milena Di Luca  1 , Giannicola Iannella  2   3 , Filippo Montevecchi  4 , Giuseppe Magliulo  2 , Andrea De Vito  3 , Salvatore Cocuzza  1 , Antonino Maniaci  1 , Giuseppe Meccariello  3 , Giovanni Cammaroto  3 , Rossella Sgarzani  5 , Salvatore Ferlito  1 , Claudio Vicini  3   6
Affiliations

Use of the transoral robotic surgery to treat patients with recurrent lingual tonsillitis

Milena Di Luca et al. Int J Med Robot. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Background: This study evaluates the efficacy of lingual tonsil resection by transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in a large group of patients with recurrent lingual tonsillitis (RLT).

Methods: Eighty-four patients with RLT treated with a lingual tonsil surgical resection using TORS were analyzed in terms of their postoperative results, disease recurrence, postoperative dysphagia, and quality of life.

Results: A reduction of the mean number/year of acute lingual tonsillitis (LT) episodes emerged after surgery (5.17 vs 0.54 events), comparing the mean number of preoperative and postoperative LT episodes, a statistical significance emerged (P = .0001). The postoperative endoscopic evaluation showed 94.1% of patients with absent or poor lymphatic tissue on the tongue base. Evaluation of postoperative dysphagia showed good results with an average score of 85.9 ± 7.5.

Conclusion: This article explains how in patients with chronic LT with medical therapy failure and impaired quality of life, TORS could represent a valid therapeutic option.

Keywords: chronic lingual tonsillitis; postoperative swallowing; quality of life; transoral robotic surgery.

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References

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