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Review
. 2024 Nov 25;16(11):e74458.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.74458. eCollection 2024 Nov.

A Systematic Review of Current Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions for the Use of Robotic Surgery in Otolaryngology in Greece

Maria Athina Tsitsika  1 , Spyros Katsinis  1 , Christos Damaskos  2   3   4 , Stylianos Kykalos  2   5 , Gerasimos Tsourouflis  6   7 , Nikolaos Garmpis  2   8 , Dimitrios Dimitroulis  2   5
Affiliations
Review

A Systematic Review of Current Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions for the Use of Robotic Surgery in Otolaryngology in Greece

Maria Athina Tsitsika et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Robotic surgery is increasingly used in otolaryngology (ENT), particularly for complex head and neck procedures. It offers various advantages, including limited postoperative pain, excellent aesthetic results, better visualization in the surgical field, enhanced dexterity due to movement adjustment by the robotic system, and minimal complications and hospital stay. However, robotic systems' higher cost and limited availability are a burden for clinical applications. This systematic review is a detailed assessment that looks at the existing situation, problems, and prospects for robotic ENT surgery in Greece. It is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The included studies were chosen based on specific criteria after a thorough inspection of electronic databases of clinical trials and medical journals (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science). Despite steady adoption, Greece needs to catch up with other European countries in deploying robotic surgery technology. Various possible reasons may cause the small number of ENT robotic-assisted surgeries, including the high cost and the availability of robotic systems, mainly in large private or public hospitals in the main cities of Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki). Training on robotic systems is also very limited for surgery residents and young surgeons, while the learning curve of robotic-assisted surgeries in ENT is big. Peer-reviewed literature was analyzed to compare it with other European nations and investigate the economic, training, and geographic aspects that may be a burden for the rise of robotic surgery in Greece. Through the review scope, this study also provided recommendations concerning the implementation of robotic surgery in daily practice among surgeons in Greece and the difficulties that may arise regarding robotic surgery training in resource-limited countries.

Keywords: greece; obstructive sleep apnoea; otolaryngology (ent); robotic surgery; thyroidectomy; transoral robotic surgery (tors).

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart depicting the selection process of the included studies in this review
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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