Mayo Clinic's approach

Mayo Clinic head and neck surgeons have many years of experience using advanced surgical techniques, such as transoral robotic surgery, to provide personalized care to people with mouth and throat cancers.

About transoral robotic surgery

During transoral robotic surgery, your surgeon sits at a remote-control console a short distance from you and the operating table. The surgeon precisely controls the motion of the surgical instruments using two hand-and-finger control devices. The console displays a large, 3D view of the surgical area that lets the surgeon see the procedure in much greater detail than in traditional minimally invasive surgery.

Transoral robotic surgery may be used to treat:

Compared with other operations, transoral robotic surgery typically offers excellent cure rates, shorter hospital stays and fewer complications.

Your Mayo Clinic care team

At Mayo Clinic, people considering transoral robotic surgery are cared for by a team of experts from many disciplines that collaborates on care. Your team may be led by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist (otolaryngologist) and include radiologists, pathologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists.

Nationally recognized expertise

Transoral robotic surgery is a complex procedure that requires highly skilled surgeons who have had years of training. Mayo Clinic doctors are specially trained in robotic surgery procedures to provide you with the best care.

Mayo Clinic surgeons have used transoral techniques to remove cancer for decades. This depth of experience helps doctors find the surgical approach that's exactly right for you.

Expertise and rankings

Mayo Clinic head and neck surgeons have many years of experience using transoral robotic surgery to treat mouth and throat cancers. This expertise and experience means that your team is prepared with the knowledge and resources to provide you with exactly the care you need.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets the strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, which recognize scientific excellence and a multispecialty approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.

More information about billing and insurance:

Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota

Mayo Clinic Health System

July 08, 2022
  1. Flint PW, et al., eds. Surgical robotics in otolaryngology. In: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 7, 2021.
  2. Moore EJ, et al. Transoral robotic surgery of oropharynx: Clinical and anatomic considerations. Clinical Anatomy. 2012; doi:10.1002/ca.22008.
  3. Moore EJ, et al. Long-term functional and oncologic results of transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2012; doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2011.10.007.
  4. Genden EM, et al. Transoral robotic surgery: Role in the management of upper aerodigestive tract tumors. Head & Neck. 2012; doi:10.1002/hed.21752.
  5. Moore EJ, et al. Transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A prospective study of feasibility and functional outcomes. The Laryngoscope. 2009; doi:10.1002/lary.20647.
  6. de Almeida JR, et al. Oncologic outcomes after transoral robotic surgery: A multi-institutional study. JAMA Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery. 2015; doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2015.1508.
  7. Holcomb AJ, et al. Robotic and endoscopic approaches to head and neck surgery. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.hoc.2021.05.002.