Transoral Robotic Surgery - First of its kind on the West Coast

On March 31, 2010, Dr. Eric Dierks of the Head and Neck Surgical Associates used the da Vinci surgical robot to remove cancerous tumors from the throats of two patients at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. We understand this to be first time on the West Coast that the da Vinci robot has been used to remove throat cancer. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) allows this operation to be done in a much more straightforward fashion than before, and both of Dr. Dierks’ patients went  home after only two nights. Following the recent FDA approval of the robot for this purpose, a small number of leading head and neck oncologic surgeons from around the country were invited to complete the multi-step certification process in robotic surgery, and Dr. Dierks was honored to have been among this elite group. 

If you would like a consultation regarding TORS for throat cancer or other tumors, please call 503-525-3634 for an appointment.