Dual robots in Sydney surgery remove throat tumor, preserve speech

In a groundbreaking surgical achievement at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, doctors successfully performed the world’s first dual-robot procedure to remove a throat tumor while preserving the patient’s voice and swallowing functions. The surgery involved a 27-year-old man with a sarcoma near his voice box. Using a combination of the da Vinci robotic system for tumor removal and the Symani robotic system for delicate microsurgical reconstruction, surgeons excised the tumor completely without resorting to a total laryngectomy, thereby maintaining the patient’s near-normal speech and swallowing abilities. The dual-robot approach leveraged the complementary strengths of both systems: the da Vinci robot provided enhanced precision and visibility for minimally invasive tumor resection, while the Symani robot enabled ultra-fine microsurgical repairs, including reconnecting tiny blood vessels less than 1–1.5 millimeters wide. This synergy not only preserved critical anatomical structures but also reduced surgeon fatigue by translating hand movements into highly precise, tremor-free actions. St Vincent’s Hospital is