The Sentara-EVMS Comprehensive Head and Neck Center comprises a team of surgeons and researchers who are advancing treatment and improving care.
In 2010, they were the first in Virginia to introduce TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. TORS is a minimally invasive surgical procedure for removing tumors in the throat and voice box (larynx). Instead of making an incision, the surgeons work through the patient's mouth to remove tumors.
They use the da Vinci robotic surgical system with TORS, and the system makes it possible to see the area that needs surgery clearly and without making any external surgical cuts. Patients appreciate this because there is less scarring, a lower risk of infection and blood transfusion, easier swallowing afterwards and a quicker return to everyday living.
For patients needing radiation therapy or with cancers in locations that are difficult to access surgically, the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System offers the center's clinicians to provide effective treatment with minimial side effects.
