What I find interesting is how many other doctors and hospitals also claim to be the pioneers in Transoral Laser Microsurgery. While the article above appeared in 2008, another article talked about their experience way going back to 2000.
CO2 laser transoral laser microsurgery of head and neck cancer: lessons learned over ten years
In the three years since the article posted above, the Mayo Clinic and several other places now offer TOLR.
[quote]Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota are among the few medical centers in the United States with the capability and experience level to use robotic surgery to treat throat cancer. Transoral robotic surgery is a specialized form of minimally invasive surgery pioneered by Mayo Clinic head and neck surgeons to remove throat tumors through the mouth.[/quote]
It does sound great, although it is usually used only for small or medium tumors. I can personally attest that the current surgical methods of breaking your jaw and slitting your throat to get to the tumor are brutal with severe consequences.
a quick Google search turned up articles from 2006 and even a special conference just two months ago in July 2011
Technological Advances in Head and Neck Oncology and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, so I hope it does become an available alternative. A little too late for me.
Keep the Faith
Charm