Turning East: the Korean pioneers of robotic thyroid surgery
TORS has largely been a Western story: born in the United States and developed through the work of surgeons on both sides of the Atlantic. Remote-access neck surgery followed a rather different path. From the early endoscopic approaches to their subsequent robotic adaptations, much of the innovation and clinical experience came from Asia-Pacific, particularly from…
KangDuo RS2000 Plus: two surgeons, five arms.
If it works as announced, this could be a significant step forward in soft-tissue robotic surgery. Expected to enter clinical use in early 2027, the KangDuo SR2000 Plus introduces a five-arm configuration (4+1) and a real dual-console architecture, allowing two surgeons to operate simultaneously, sharing control of four robotic instruments. This is more than an…
The Belgian connection
Georges Lawson and Marc Remacle, two established names in laryngeal surgery, built a Belgian contribution to the evolution of robotic Head&Neck Surgery. Discover their story in our Names section. J Granell. Nov 9, 2026 Previous name: Claudio Vicini Next name: Kyu Eun Lee
EndoQuest Robotics: rethinking flexible robotic surgery.
The Medrobotics Flex demonstrated that flexible transoral access was clinically feasible. But clinical feasibility did not translate into a sustainable business. Medrobotics was liquidated in January 2022. The question is whether EndoQuest has solved the technological limitations of Flex without inheriting its commercial limitations. Is there a market? I think this is the most interesting…
New approaches in Head&Neck Surgery (IPO Lisbon)
It was a privilege to participate as a speaker last Friday, October 30, at “New Approaches in Head and Neck Surgery,” alongside Alicia Dean and the Head&Neck Surgery Department of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) Francisco Gentil in Lisbon. We had the opportunity to review the latest developments in our field in a truly…
TORS: a personal journey of innovation and transformation (BW O´Malley)
I believe this paper is a must-read for every Head&Neck Surgeon. As an introduction, here are a couple of quotes. “The inspiration for TORS came not from a single “eureka” moment but from years of frustration with existing techniques”. “Conviction comes from seeing what is possible before it exists.” J Granell, Nov 2, 2026 PS.…
Nami Surgical: bringing ultrasonic energy to wristed robotic instruments
One of the limitations of current robotic surgical systems has been the lack of wristed ultrasonic instruments. Ultrasonic energy has been available in robotic surgery, but without the articulation that makes robotic instruments so versatile. This is precisely what makes Nami Surgical such an interesting project. Their approach to miniaturising ultrasonic technology and incorporating it…
Claudio Vicini, bringing TORS to sleep surgery
Claudio Vicini helped broaden the scope of transoral robotic surgery beyond head and neck oncology. By developing and studying robotic tongue-base volume reduction for obstructive sleep apnea, he contributed to a field in which the purpose of surgery is not tumour removal, but the restoration of airway patency and improvement of a chronic, potentially serious…
Yulum Wang, from AESOP to telesurgery
Our next protagonist: Yulun Wang. An engineer and entrepreneur, Wang helped shape the early history of surgical robotics through AESOP, ZEUS and Computer Motion. His career also illustrates how robotics and telemedicine share a common ambition: bringing technology closer to patients, overcoming the barriers of distance. J Granell. Oct 20, 2026 Previous name: Greg Weinstein…
LigaSure comes to Hugo RAS. But, without the wrist?
Advanced energy devices are essential to minimally invasive surgery, and robotic surgery is no exception. Reliable haemostasis, efficient tissue division and the ability to dissect while controlling vessels are fundamental to a successful robotic workflow. The da Vinci platform has offered advanced energy instruments for years. Ultrasonic devices came first, providing effective tissue dissection and…
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