Background: The role of robotic surgery in the field of oncology has been widely described, in particular for the tumours of the oropharynx and larynx, but its efficacy for benign pathology is inconsistent. Methods: An exhaustive review of the English literature on trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) for benign conditions was performed using PubMed electronic database. Results: The research was performed in March 2019 and yielded more than eight hundred articles, with 103 meeting the inclusion criteria and considered in the present study. Conclusions: The application of TORS for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome seems to be particularly well documented. Additionally, there exists a special interest in its use where high precision in limited anatomic space is required. There are still different structural and economic limitations for the application of TORS, however, the progressive technologic innovations and the increasing adoption of robotic surgery seem to encourage the uptake of this technique.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) occurs due to upper airway obstruction resulting from anatomical and functional abnormalities. Upper airway collapsibility, particularly those involving the lateral pharyngeal wall (LPW), is known to be one of the main factors contributing to the pathogenesis of OSAS, leading the authors of the present study to propose different strategies in order to stiffen the pharyngeal walls to try to restore normal airflow. Methods: An exhaustive review of the English literature on lateral pharyngeal wall surgery for the treatment of OSAS was performed using the PubMed electronic database. Results: The research was performed in April 2020 and yielded approximately 2000 articles. However, considering the inclusion criteria, only 17 studies were included in the present study. Conclusions: The analyzed surgical techniques propose different parts of LPW on which to focus and a variable degree of invasivity. Despite the very promising results, no gold standard for the treatment of pharyngeal wall collapsibility has been proposed. However, thanks to progressive technological innovations and increasingly precise data analysis, the role of LPW surgery seems to be crucial in the treatment of OSAS patients.

Background: Acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis is a rare and heterogeneous pathological condition that has different causes, generally resulting as a complication of a pharyngeal surgery, especially in patients affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Different approaches have been proposed for the treatment of nasopharyngeal stenosis but a unique and standardized management has not yet been presented. The aim of our paper is to evaluate the efficacy of our surgical technique, describing its steps and results with the aim to consider it as a possible solution for the treatment of this condition. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Eight patients (mean age 27.25 years old (yo), range 8–67 yo; Male/Female ratio 4/4; mean body mass index (BMI) 26.1) affected by OSA (mean apnea hypopnea index (AHI) before OSA surgery was 22.1) and acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis as a consequence of different pharyngeal surgeries were treated with our modified approach in the Department of Otolaryngology, Morgagni Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy. Resolution of stenosis and complication rate were the main outcome measures. Results: Complete resolution of the stenosis was achieved in all cases and no complications were recorded at three weeks, six months, and 2 years follow-up. Conclusions: Our technique appears to be a promising method for the management of nasopharyngeal stenosis in OSA patients. However, further studies comparing different techniques and reporting on larger series and longer follow up time are needed to prove the efficacy of the proposed technique.