Trans Oral Robotic Surgery in Delhi NCR

Cancer occurs when genetic changes disrupt the normal growth of cells. The cells begin to grow uncontrollably, forming a mass of tissue called a tumour. These tumours can also invade surrounding structures and spread to other parts of the body. For cancers of the throat, tongue base, tonsils, and other deep areas of the head and neck, accessing and removing the tumour safely has historically been one of surgery’s greatest challenges.

Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) has changed this entirely.

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas is among the pioneers of Transoral Robotic Surgery in India and one of the most experienced TORS surgical oncologists in Asia. As the Best Robotic Cancer Surgeon in India, he offers advanced TORS in Delhi NCR for patients with cancers of the throat, tongue base, tonsils, voice box, and skull base, combining complete oncological removal with significantly reduced surgical trauma, faster recovery, and better preservation of speech and swallowing function.

What Is Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS)?

Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive, state-of-the-art surgical technique used to treat tumours of the head and neck region, particularly those located in areas that are difficult to access through conventional surgical approaches, including the back of the throat, tongue base, tonsils, voice box, and skull base.

The word “transoral” means “through the mouth.” Unlike conventional head and neck surgery, which requires large external incisions on the face or neck, TORS allows the surgeon to access and remove tumours entirely through the patient’s mouth using a robotic surgical system. This approach avoids major external incisions, significantly reducing surgical trauma, recovery time, and the impact on speech and swallowing function.

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas performs Transoral Robotic Surgery using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, the world’s most advanced robotic surgical platform, at Manipal Hospital Dwarka, Delhi, a leading Robotic Head and Neck Surgery centre in India.

How Does TORS Work? The da Vinci Xi Surgical System

TORS at Dr. Dabas‘s practice is performed using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, which consists of three core components:

• The Surgeon’s Console
  Dr. Surender Dabas operates from the surgeon’s console, which is positioned away from the operating table. The console provides a high-definition, magnified three-dimensional view of the operative field and allows precise control of all robotic instruments through master manipulators. All movements are scaled and filtered to eliminate hand tremor, allowing surgical precision beyond what is achievable with conventional instruments. 
• The Patient-Side Robotic Cart
  The patient-side cart is positioned at the operating table and is equipped with four robotic arms. These arms carry the surgical instruments and camera that are introduced into the patient’s mouth and throat during surgery. 
• The High-Definition Three-Dimensional Vision System
  The system provides an exceptional three-dimensional, magnified view of deep areas of the throat and skull base that would be extremely difficult to visualise with conventional surgical approaches. This enhanced visualisation is one of the key factors that makes TORS so technically superior to open surgery for these locations.

Instruments Used in TORS

The following instruments are routinely used during Transoral Robotic Surgery:

• Robotic arms with attached endoscopes carrying specialised instruments including bipolar and monopolar energy devices for precise tissue dissection and haemostasis
• The FK Retractor, a specialised mouth retractor that provides optimal visualisation of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx during surgery, creating the working space needed for the robotic instruments
• The surgeon’s console from which Dr. Surender Dabas controls all instrument movements with real-time, tremor-free precision

Articulating surgical instruments are mounted on the robotic arms, introduced into the upper aerodigestive tract through the mouth, and manipulated remotely by Dr. Dabas from the surgeon’s console. This combination of access, visualisation, and precision is what sets TORS apart from all other approaches to head and neck cancer surgery.

Conditions Treated with Transoral Robotic Surgery

TORS is now a well-established surgical technique for a range of head and neck tumours. Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas uses Transoral Robotic Surgery to treat the following conditions:

1. Oropharyngeal Cancer (Throat Cancer)

Oropharyngeal tumours, including cancers of the tonsils and base of tongue, are the most common indication for TORS. These cancers, which are increasingly associated with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection, are ideally suited to the transoral robotic approach because of their location in the back of the throat. TORS allows complete tumour removal through the mouth without a large external incision, significantly reducing the impact on swallowing and speech.

2. Laryngeal Cancer (Voice Box Cancer)

Tumours of the larynx (voice box) can be approached and removed using TORS in selected patients. The robotic system’s precision and three-dimensional visualisation allow the surgeon to remove laryngeal tumours while maximising preservation of the structures responsible for voice and swallowing.

3. Hypopharyngeal Cancer

Hypopharyngeal tumours develop in the lower part of the throat, just above the voice box. This area is particularly difficult to access with conventional surgery. TORS provides superior access and visualisation of the hypopharynx, enabling precise tumour removal with reduced surgical trauma.

4. Parapharyngeal Space Tumours

The parapharyngeal space is a deep anatomical compartment adjacent to the throat. Tumours in this space are among the most technically challenging to remove. TORS combined with selected open approaches allows safe access and removal of parapharyngeal tumours with reduced morbidity.

5. Skull Base Tumours

Selected tumours of the skull base, including those involving the nasopharynx and adjacent structures, can be approached using robotic transoral techniques. This avoids the extensive skull base dissection and craniotomy approaches that would otherwise be required.

6. Nasopharyngeal Tumours

Tumours behind the nose (nasopharyngeal region) are among the most anatomically inaccessible areas for conventional surgery. Robotic transoral approaches allow surgeons to reach and operate on these tumours with precision and safety that was previously not achievable.

Why TORS Is Superior to Conventional Open Surgery?

For tumours in the throat, tongue base, and deep head and neck spaces, conventional surgery has traditionally required large external incisions, sometimes involving splitting of the jaw (mandibulotomy) or other highly morbid approaches. Transoral Robotic Surgery has transformed the management of these cancers by offering a fundamentally better surgical access route through the mouth itself.

• No Large External Incisions: TORS accesses the tumour entirely through the mouth, avoiding large external incisions on the face or neck in selected procedures.
• Superior Visualisation of Deep Structures: The three-dimensional, high-definition robotic camera provides unmatched visualisation of the back of the throat, tongue base, larynx, and skull base areas that are extremely difficult to see with conventional approaches.
• Enhanced Surgical Precision: Robotic EndoWrist instruments allow movements with a degree of precision and range of motion far beyond what conventional surgical instruments can achieve in the confined spaces of the throat.
• Better Preservation of Speech and Swallowing Function: The precise, targeted nature of TORS minimises damage to the surrounding structures responsible for speech and swallowing, significantly improving functional outcomes compared to conventional open surgery.
• Reduced Blood Loss: The precision of robotic dissection and the use of advanced energy instruments result in significantly reduced intraoperative blood loss.
• Shorter Hospital Stay: Most patients undergoing TORS have a significantly shorter hospital stay compared to conventional open throat surgery.
• Faster Recovery: Patients typically return to oral feeding and daily activities considerably faster than after conventional open approaches.
• Reduced Need for Tracheostomy: In many cases, TORS avoids the need for a temporary tracheostomy (breathing tube in the neck) that is often required following conventional open throat surgery.
• Equivalent or Superior Oncological Outcomes: Multiple studies and decades of clinical experience have confirmed that TORS achieves equivalent or superior cancer control outcomes compared to conventional surgery for appropriate candidates, while significantly reducing treatment-related morbidity.

Transoral Robotic Surgery and the Role of Dr. Surender Dabas in India

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas is among the pioneers of Transoral Robotic Surgery in India and has performed more than 1,000 TORS procedures, one of the highest volumes in Asia. He has trained and proctored surgeons across India at leading centres including AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Rishikesh, Apollo Indraprastha, TMH Mumbai, PD Hinduja Mumbai, and many others.

As the Best Robotic Cancer Surgeon in India for head and neck cancer, Dr. Dabas is a Vice President of the International Guild of Robotic and Endoscopic Head and Neck Surgery (IGREeHNS) and an internationally recognised faculty member and surgical trainer in Robotic Head and Neck Surgery in India.

Patients from across India and internationally travel to consult Dr. Surender Dabas for TORS and other Robotic Head and Neck Cancer Surgery procedures.

TORS as Part of Comprehensive Head and Neck Cancer Care

Transoral Robotic Surgery is most effective when delivered as part of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care programme. At Dr. Dabas‘s practice, TORS is coordinated with:

• Radiation Oncology – radiation therapy may be recommended before or after TORS depending on the cancer stage and tumour characteristics
• Medical Oncology – chemotherapy or immunotherapy may be used alongside surgery for advanced or HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers
• Speech and Swallowing Rehabilitation – specialist speech therapy and swallowing rehabilitation following TORS helps patients recover oral function as quickly as possible
• Nutritional Support – dietary guidance and nutritional supplementation during and after treatment support recovery and maintain strength
• Reconstructive Surgery – in selected cases, reconstructive procedures complement TORS to restore anatomy and function

This integrated approach ensures that every patient receives internationally benchmarked, evidence-based Head and Neck Cancer Treatment in Delhi NCR.

Is TORS Right for Every Patient?

Transoral Robotic Surgery is not appropriate for all patients with throat or head and neck cancer. Suitability depends on:

• Tumour location, size, and stage
• Whether the tumour is accessible through the transoral approach
• The patient’s overall health and fitness for surgery
• Prior treatment history including previous surgery or radiation
• Individual anatomy and mouth opening

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas carefully evaluates every patient’s suitability for TORS during consultation. Where TORS is not appropriate, he will recommend the most suitable alternative approach, whether conventional open surgery, a combined approach, or non-surgical treatment.

The Dr. Dabas Approach to Transoral Robotic Surgery

Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas follows a comprehensive and patient-centred approach to TORS built on:

• Accurate pre-operative staging using endoscopy, PET-CT, MRI, and biopsy
• Personalised surgical planning based on tumour location, stage, and individual patient priorities
• Advanced Transoral Robotic Surgery using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System
• Meticulous preservation of speech and swallowing structures during surgery
• Multidisciplinary coordination with radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, speech therapists, and nutritionists
• Structured post-operative rehabilitation including speech therapy and swallowing exercises
• Long-term follow-up to monitor recovery and detect any recurrence early

Why Choose Dr Surender Dabas for TORS in Delhi NCR?

• Over 22 years of experience in surgical oncology, specialising in complex cancer care
• Performed 30,000+ cancer surgeries, reflecting extensive expertise and consistent outcomes
• Completed 5,000+ robotic cancer procedures, demonstrating advanced proficiency in robotic techniques
• Conducted 1,000+ Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) procedures, indicating significant experience in this specialised approach
• Recognised as one of the early pioneers of TORS in India
• Focuses on minimally invasive techniques, helping reduce recovery time and improve patient comfort
• Provides treatment at a well-equipped robotic surgery centre in Delhi, ensuring access to advanced technology
• Actively involved as an international faculty member and surgical trainer, contributing to medical education across India and Asia
• Trusted by patients for comprehensive, patient-centred cancer care and advanced surgical solutions

Where to Consult Dr. Surender Dabas for TORS in Delhi NCR?

You can consult Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas, one of the Best Robotic Cancer Surgeons in India, at:

Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, Delhi 

A leading Robotic Cancer Surgery Hospital in Delhi and Throat Cancer Robotic Surgery Hospital in India, equipped with the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, advanced diagnostics, and comprehensive oncology services. Dr. Dabas consults and operates here regularly, offering patients across Delhi NCR access to world-class Transoral Robotic Surgery.

Manipal Jivisha Cancer Centre, Sonipat 

A dedicated cancer care centre providing multidisciplinary treatment planning and personalised cancer management for patients across Delhi NCR and Haryana.

Looking for Transoral Robotic Surgery in Delhi NCR or a TORS Surgical Oncologist?

Consult Dr. Surender Kumar Dabas, one of the Best Robotic Cancer Surgeons in India. Get Your Consultation – 8796173403

Recovery After Transoral Robotic Surgery

Recovery after TORS is significantly faster and less disruptive than after conventional open throat surgery. Most patients benefit from the following structured recovery programme:

1. Hospital stay of typically two to four days depending on the extent of surgery
2. Oral feeding typically recommenced sooner than after conventional open surgery
3. Speech therapy and swallowing rehabilitation commenced early in the recovery period
4. Nutritional guidance and dietary support during the recovery phase
5. Pain management with significantly less post-operative discomfort than open surgery
6. Regular follow-up evaluations including endoscopy and imaging to monitor recovery and detect any recurrence