Department of Otorhinolaryngology

Patients may wonder if it will be possible to undergo TransOral robotic surgery (TORS) when Penn Medicine is far from home. Be assured that many patients who come to Penn Medicine for TORS have come from outside the Philadelphia area. Some come from thousands of miles away. The benefit of coming to Penn Medicine for TORS is that the patient's case will be managed by the surgeons that not only developed these techniques, but also taught the technique to the world. The team is available to help guide the patient through the entire process and can offer advice on places to stay and how to get here. Patients are made to feel at home.

The first step in the process is to send your records to our team.

For patients coming in from out of town, it is very important that the TORS team review their records and scans ahead of time. Penn Medicine patient care coordinators will work patients in advance, helping to coordinate having their records and radiology scans sent to Penn by overnight mail. In addition, clinicians will review patient information in a timely fashion and if the patient is a potential candidate for TORS, patient care coordinators will make an appointment for the patient. Indeed, even if the patient is not found to be a candidate for TORS based on records or radiology, some patients still choose to be treated at the world-renowned Penn Center for Head and Neck Cancer, but others would choose to see their physician at home. Penn Medicine clinicians will try to assess a patient's candidacy for TORS to the best of their ability prior to patients making a long trip but, at times, the only way to finalize such a plan is to see the patient directly.

Patients come to Penn Medicine for their care from around the United States — and around the world.

Penn Medicine offers care that is unique and state-of-the-art, such as TransOral robotic surgery (TORS). Penn's patient care coordinators will help ease the way to Philadelphia and into the Penn Medicine system, and will help assist patients with all of their needs, including directing them towards the most convenient travel routes, providing accommodation information, and acting as their “point person” during their entire care experience at Penn Medicine.

Initial evaluation

At the initial office visit, the physician will confirm if the patient is a potential candidate for TransOral robotic surgery (TORS) and decide if they should undergo endoscopy or can proceed directly to TransOral robotic surgery (TORS). The following time table is best for the initial evaluation:

Fly into Philadelphia (1st day).
Be seen early the next morning for consultation with the physician (2nd day).
If an endoscopy to assess candidacy for TORS is indicated, the patient will undergo that procedure the next day. (3rd day).
Be seen on the following day to finalize the plan and consent for both TORS and other procedures as indicated (4th day).

Penn Medicine hospital admission for TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS)

The next step is to be admitted to the hospital for TransOral robotic surgery (TORS). For out-of-towners, this can typically be coordinated so it can be done the same week that the initial evaluation is performed, saving an additional trip to Philadelphia. The hospitalization for TORS is typically three to five days, with the expectation that the patient will stay in Philadelphia at a hotel either until the next postoperative visit, which is approximately one week later; or, if the neck dissection is planned for one week later, the patient will stay in Philadelphia until one day after the neck dissection.

For those instances in which the patient is planning to stay from the initial evaluation until after the neck dissection, the stay in Philadelphia will be 16 days. For patients who want to split up the stay, they can come for the initial four-day evaluation and then leave and return for a 12-day stay in Philadelphia at a later date. The first postoperative visit following the neck dissection is one week later, and patients can leave and return a week later for this visit. At this visit, the final pathology will be reviewed and decisions concerning additional treatment will be discussed.

For more information or a consultation, please contact the TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) Team at 215-349-5390.

Addressing the Special Needs of International Patients Coming to Penn Medicine for TORS

The first step for the international patient is to contact the Penn Medicine TORS surgeon of choice.

Obtain records with translations for the TORS surgeon to review.
Schedule an appointment.

Penn Medicine offers patients a variety of services to help make every aspect of their healthcare experience less stressful and easier to manage. Penn Medicine services include:

Single source appointment booking across all Philadelphia Iinternational Medicine (PIM) hospitals, surgeons, and physicians.
Discounted hotels and other accommodations.
One-on-one orientation and care management.
Translation services.
Consolidated discount policy and billing.
Assistance with travel.
Assistance with visa procurement.

In addition, the city of Philadelphia is easy to reach from any worldwide location and easy to get around once patients arrive.

The international patient should expect to remain in the Philadelphia region for a minimum of three weeks, during which time our team will be available for assistance. For more information or a consultation please refer to the Global Medicine Web site or call 215-563-4733.


	Need an appointment? Request one online 24 hours/day, 7 days/week or call 800-789-PENN (7366) to speak to a referral counselor.