Transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal and tongue cancer in the United States

Objectives/Hypothesis To compare the clinical and cost outcomes of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) versus open procedures following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in December 2009. Study Design Retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2008 to 2011. Methods Elective partial pharyngectomies and partial glossectomies for neoplasm were identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code. Results TORS represented 2.1% in 2010 and 2.2% in 2011 of all transoral ablative procedures. Patients undergoing open partial pharyngectomy for oropharyngeal neoplasms (n = 1426) had more severe illness compared to TORS (n = 641). However, after controlling for minor‐to‐moderate severity of illness, open partial pharyngectomy was associated with longer hospital stay (5.2 vs. 3.7 days, P