Twenty first century is characterized by globalization, aging population and society driven by scientific technology. Look at how the smart phone changed our daily lives. It provided us with an environment of real time networking which we only dreamed of merely ten years ago. The advancement of technology has not only changed our communication but also our working environment, life style and life itself. In terms of medicine, many new technologies have risen with the hope of eradicating disease. Personalized, preventive, predictive and participatory medicine will emerge and change our pattern of practice in the very near future.
Head and neck is characterized by an area of diverse pathology, a condensed area of vital functions and an exposed area of identity, sexuality and beauty. Any local treatment for head and neck cancer can make an issue of gross appearance. For head and neck surgery, what has been changed since the introduction of radical neck dissection which was designed by George Crile of Ohio in 1906. Area of resection level has changed from comprehensive to limited and selective, but little has improved to the morbidity of external disfiguring scar from neck dissection.
The introduction of robotic surgery to the management of head and neck tumors has gained popularity for natural orifice surgery. This was a great step of head and neck surgery from a mutilating toward a more functional and esthetic surgery. Furthermore, it would be more desirable if neck metastasis could be treated with a more esthetic way.
Dr. Woong Youn Chung an endocrine surgeon in Severance Hospital of Yonsei University Health System designed the robotic neck dissection of thyroid cancer in 2007. Dr. Yoon Woo Koh a head and neck surgeon designed and developed various novel surgical approaches for benign and malignant diseases of the head and neck including neck dissection for squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck in 2010. The two pioneer surgeons in Severance Hospital which was founded 1885 will change the paradigm of thyroid and head and neck surgery. With the accumulation of surgical experiences of robotic neck surgery, we hope this type of surgery will contribute to the happiness of our patients. We are currently on the verge of changing the history of head and neck surgery to Esthetic head and neck surgery.
Eun Chang Choi, MD, PhD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Yonsei University College of Medicine
