The Role of TORS in the Management of Benign Pathology of the Base of Tongue: A Systematic Review.

Riccardo Nocini, Valerio Arietti, Athena Arsie, Erica Zampieri, Luca Sacchetto

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment in Otolaryngology.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
Article
Transoral Robotic Approach for Pharyngeal Schwannoma.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
Article

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Riccardo NociniUnit of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Department, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

Valerio AriettiUnit of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Department, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

Athena ArsieUnit of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Department, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

Erica ZampieriUnit of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Department, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

Luca SacchettoUnit of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Department, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTransoral robotic surgery (TORS) is becoming increasingly popular in head and neck surgery. Its applications have expanded beyond oncologic indications to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and, more recently, to benign pathologies. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search for articles published in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases between January 2003 and December 2023 was performed using the following combined search query (robot OR sleep OR apnea OR syndrome) AND (robot OR tongue OR base). REVIEW

methodsGiven the limited literature, we conducted a systematic review focusing on the outcomes of TORS for benign pathologies of the base of the tongue. Our search methodology followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

resultsWe found 16 articles that met our inclusion criteria. These were mainly case reports and a few case series.

conclusionsCompared to other transoral techniques, TORS offers better exposure, visualization, and access to the oropharynx, especially the base of the tongue, even in benign pathology. TORS should be considered a feasible, safe, and effective technique. Several more studies are needed to effectively evaluate the role of TORS in benign pathology that does not correlate with OSAS.

Indexed as

base of tongueoropharynxsurgeryTORS

Identifiers

PMID39795533

DOI10.3390/diagnostics15010005

PMCPMC11719489

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.