Comparison of Transoral Robotic Surgery With Other Surgeries for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

This study compared the characteristic surgical parameters and clinical effects of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and other available methods used to alleviate obstructive sleep apnea. Articles on TORS and other surgeries for obstructive sleep apnea were identified in the PubMed and EMBASE databases. Two investigators independently reviewed the articles and classified the data for meta-analysis. The pooled effect sizes of TORS, coblation tongue base resection and upper airway stimulation revealed significant improvement in the apnea-hypopnea index. The lowest O2 saturation reported was significantly increased in the effects of the therapy. No significant difference in operation time, success rate, or instances of complication were observed between transoral robotic surgery and the other compared interventions. The use of transoral robotic surgery in obstructive sleep apnea has the same rate of success and failure as other methods of surgical intervention for obstructive sleep apnea with no statistical difference in operation times. The reported clinical effects on the AHI, lowest O2 saturation, and ESS scores of transoral robotic surgery were similar to those of other surgeries.

Source Nature