Published Nov 12, 2026
Updated Nov 12, 2026
Yonsei University College of Medicine – Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
South Korea has become one of the most influential centres in the development of robotic Nead&Neck surgery. Within this evolution, the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Yonsei University College of Medicine and Severance Hospital has played an exceptional role, combining a remarkable clinical experience with a sustained commitment to surgical innovation.
Two of the key figures associated with this development are Se-Heon Kim and Yoon Woo Koh. Their work, together with that of their colleagues at Yonsei, spans both major directions of robotic Head&Neck surgery: transoral approaches for the treatment of upper aerodigestive tract malignancies and remote-access approaches to the neck.
The Yonsei group has been instrumental in developing and refining remote-access robotic surgery, particularly through retroauricular approaches. These techniques provide access to cervical structures without placing a visible incision across the anterior neck. Their experience extends to thyroid and parathyroid surgery, salivary gland tumours and robotic neck dissection for head and neck cancer. The introduction of the da Vinci Xi system in 2014 and, subsequently, the da Vinci SP system in 2018 further expanded their surgical possibilities. The group explored different access routes and robotic configurations, progressively adapting the technology to the specific anatomical and functional requirements of head and neck surgery. Yonsei has also been at the forefront of the development of transoral robotic surgery. Its contribution to the introduction of the da Vinci SP system in TORS is particularly noteworthy.
Yonsei has also been at the forefront of the development of transoral robotic surgery. Its contribution to the introduction of the da Vinci SP system in TORS is particularly noteworthy.
Se-Heon Kim
A Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at Yonsei University College of Medicine, he has held senior academic and departmental leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Severance Hospital and Director of its Head and Neck Cancer Center.
His international background includes research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and advanced training in transoral robotic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania.
His contribution has been particularly relevant to the development of TORS, especially the introduction and clinical evaluation of the da Vinci SP platform. His work reflects a consistent interest in adapting new robotic technologies to the specific demands of head and neck oncology rather than simply transferring existing surgical techniques to a robotic environment.
Yoon Woo Koh
Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at Yonsei University College of Medicine and, since March 2025, Chairman of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Severance Hospital. He also serves as Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center at Yonsei Cancer Hospital.
His clinical and research interests encompass Head&Neck oncology, robotic thyroid surgery, salivary gland tumours and transoral robotic surgery. He has contributed extensively to the development of remote-access approaches to the neck, including retroauricular robotic techniques, as well as to the expansion of robotic surgery into increasingly complex head and neck procedures.
His longstanding collaboration with Se-Heon Kim and the wider Yonsei team has helped establish a comprehensive approach to robotic head and neck surgery, bringing together transoral and remote-access techniques.
The importance of the Yonsei group lies in the combination of clinical volume, technical development and willingness to explore new robotic platforms. They have pursued a broader vision of robotic Head&Neck surgery, from the oropharynx and laryngopharynx to the cervical compartments. As robotic technology evolves towards smaller access platforms, greater instrument flexibility and new configurations, the work carried out at Yonsei provides an important clinical reference for evaluating what these developments can actually bring to head and neck surgery.
References
Park YM, Kim DH, Kang MS, Lim JY, Choi EC, Koh YW, Kim SH. The First Human Trial of Transoral Robotic Surgery Using a Single-Port Robotic System in the Treatment of Laryngo-Pharyngeal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019 Dec;26(13):4472-4480. doi: 10.1245/s10434-019-07802-0.
Park YM, Kim DH, Kang MS, Lim JY, Choi EC, Kim SH, Koh YW. Establishing the robotic surgery procedure and techniques for head and neck tumors: a single surgeon’s experience of 945 cases. J Robot Surg. 2020 Dec;14(6):871-880. doi: 10.1007/s11701-020-01068-5.
Park YM, Choi EC, Kim SH, Koh YW. Recent progress of robotic head and neck surgery using a flexible single port robotic system. J Robot Surg. 2022 Apr;16(2):353-360. doi: 10.1007/s11701-021-01221-8
Sampieri C, Pirola F, Costantino A, Kim D, Ho JJ, Lee K, De Virgilio A, Park YM, Kim SH. Single-Port Versus Multiport da Vinci System for Transoral Robotic Surgery of Hypopharyngeal and Laryngeal Carcinoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Sep;169(3):548-555. doi: 10.1002/ohn.287.
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