Tongue reduction for OSAHS: TORSs vs coblations, technologies vs techniques, apples vs oranges

Coblation tongue surgery and Trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) proved to be the most published therapeutical options for the treatment of patients affected by obstructive sleep apneas (OSAHS). A systematic review of the literature and an analysis of the data are presented. The mean rates of failure were 34.4 and 38.5 %, respectively in TORS and Coblation groups. Complications occurred in 21.3 % of the patients treated with TORS and in 8.4 % of the patients treated with Coblation surgery. TORS seems to give slightly better results, allowing a wider surgical view and a measurable, more consistent removal of lingual tissue. However, the higher rate of minor complication and the significant costs of TORS must also be considered. Moreover, both technologies may be applied to a wide range of surgical techniques, each of them with different effectiveness.