Home Patient Info Futures Surgery Center News & Events Associations & Resources Blog Contact Us Site Map

Our Current Innovations and Technologies

The professionals at Head and Neck Surgical Associates are proud to integrate the latest innovations and technologies in the care they provide to their patients. With this advanced technology, our staff can effectively treat patients who are in need of head and neck, oral, maxillofacial, and facial cosmetic surgery.

If you would like to learn more about our practice, and the latest technologies in the field of head and neck surgery, contact Head and Neck Surgical Associates today.

• Preoperative Computer Assisted Planning and Intraoperative Navigation
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Transoral Laser Microsurgery
• Endoscopic Surgery
• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Oral Cancer
• Virtual Orthognathic Planning
• Transoral Robotic Surgury

Preoperative Computer Assisted Planning and Intraoperative Navigation

The application of preoperative computer assisted planning and intraoperative navigation typically includes the making of three-dimensional models for treatment planning, production of custom designed prostheses, and the replication of anatomical objects to guide the surgeon's reconstructive efforts. When 3D visualization is combined with a 3D surgery simulation and intraoperative navigation, it becomes a powerful tool for precise and accurate surgical planning. Visualization of the surgical plan is also valuable for enhancing communication between the surgeon and the patient.

Minimally Invasive Surgery

At Head and Neck Surgical Associates, our experienced staff performs minimally invasive techniques to reduce scarring and recovery time for the best possible surgical outcomes.

Transoral Laser Microsurgery

In the past, many head and neck cancers were treated with either a combination of radiation and chemotherapy or standard “open” surgery, which required incisions in the neck. In the last 20 years, the operating microscope, microsurgical instruments, and carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers have revolutionized the treatment of these tumors.

Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) uses a flexible, hollow-core fiber to transmit CO2 laser energy. This enables surgeons to reach otherwise inaccessible areas and perform 360-degree resections around tumors in ways that were previously not possible.

Using special endoscopes to visualize the oral cavity or throat, the laser can remove head and neck tumors without sacrificing large sections of adjacent normal tissue, which is usually required in traditional surgery. Tumors are not vaporized by the laser beam, but are carefully excised for pathologic evaluation. In selected patients, TLM can provide tissue margins tailored to the tumor rather than to standard surgical procedures. Thus, every patient receives an individualized treatment plan.

Energy from the CO2 laser is better absorbed by the tissues and results in reduced trauma as compared to standard electrocautery techniques. Using the appropriate power, the laser beam precisely cuts to seal the surrounding mucosa, resulting in minimal carbonization of surrounding tissues.

TLM may also result in reduced post-operative pain and shorter rehabilitation. Patients usually only spend a day or two in the hospital, rather than five to seven days, which can be the case for a standard surgical procedure.

Endoscopic Surgery

Surgeons at Head and Neck Surgical Associates use an endoscope to perform a wide variety of procedures with virtually no scarring. An endoscope may be used to assess the interior surfaces of an organ, and requires the insertion of only a small, camera-equipped tube. In addition, the transoral endoscopic assisted repair of facial fractures, such as those that occur in the mandibular condyle, orbit, or frontal sinus, can now be repaired through endoscopic surgery for minimal scarring. Some tumors of the head and neck may also be removed in a similar manner, via the nose. At Head and Neck Surgical Associates, it is our goal to use minimally invasive surgical techniques whenever possible.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Oral Cancer

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is a minimally invasive technique that is currently under investigation for staging of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). SNB offers the potential of reducing the risks associated with selective neck dissection.

Virtual Orthognathic Planning

As treatment planning software technology has advanced and computed tomography and cone beam imaging have become more routinely used, pre-planning surgical procedures has become accessible to many surgical specialities. The doctors at HNSA have been on the forefront of the development and use of this technology and have thoroughly integrated into their practice.

Applications of this technology include digitally planning osteotomies and movements for complex orthognathic surgeries, effectively eliminating traditional model surgery. Clinical transfer for these types of cases is typically accomplished by using CAD/CAM generated interocclusal splints.

Another exciting application is for performing vascularized free flap transfers using the fibula. In these challenging cases the ability to pre-plan the exact size, placement and orientation of the fibula has allowed for more ideal reconstructions while saving valuable operating room time.

At HNSA, the future is now!

• Digital Orthognathic Planning
• Computer Planning
• Digital Case #2

Back to Top

Contact Head and Neck Surgical Associates

If you would like to learn more about the current innovations and technologies utilized at the Northwest's most specialized practice for oral and maxillofacial surgery, head and neck surgery, and facial plastic surgery, contact Head and Neck Surgical Associates today.

Back to Top

Transoral Robotic Surgery

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.

Back to Top