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SBU Professor Uses Robotic Surgery System to Repair Ear, Nose and Throat Conditions

Ghassan J. Samara, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, is the first physician on Long Island to use a high-tech robotic surgical system to perform surgery on patients with ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions, an approach that enables surgeons to operate with a better visualization of tissues, improved precision, and in a minimally invasive manner.

Dr. Samara, with the assistance of Mark F. Marzouk, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, completed three ENT surgical cases in late March with the da Vinci® S HD™ Surgical System, a state-of-the-art robotic system. After robotic-assisted surgery, many patients experience significantly less pain, less blood loss, less scarring, and shorter recovery times, compared to conventional surgery for various conditions.

The initial cases in which Dr. Samara used the da Vinci system were varied. One case involved removal of the tonsils in which use of the robot led to almost no blood loss. Another case involved removal of a benign tumor located on the palate and the uvula. The robotic system enabled Dr. Samara to precisely resect and create a small flap of tissue to sew over the open area, thus leading to faster healing for the patient. A third case involved a cancer patient with severe scarring that resulted from chemotherapy and radiation. The scarring blocked the nose and nasopharynx. After removing the nasal scarring by conventional surgical methods, Dr. Samara also employed the robot to free the patient’s soft palate.

Dr. Samara says that he and his Stony Brook colleagues performing ENT surgery will use the robotic system for many conditions but mostly to help them treat cancers of the mouth, throat, and tongue. However, Dr. Samara expects the practice will expand use of the robot for other oral surgical procedures, such as for sleep apnea and related conditions.