About the da Vinci® Surgical System

Click here to learn more about the da Vinci® Surgical System.

Offering patients a revolution in sleep medicine: TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS)—a da Vinci® SI Robot-Assisted Surgery—for sleep apnea.

Middlesex Health is proud to be the only facility in Connecticut offering robotic surgery for the treatment of sleep apnea. The da Vinci® Robot allows your surgeon to work with exceptional dexterity and precision while taking a minimally-invasive approach through the mouth, rather than the neck.

A woman sleeps soundly, a man wakes up refreshed, a couple has the energy for a run.

TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a procedure that utilizes the da Vinci® Surgical System for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.  The purpose of this surgery is to reduce the size of the base of the tongue, to minimize obstruction caused by the tongue during sleep.

Patients that undergo this procedure complete the following steps:

  • Pre-Surgery Assessment: Patients visit their surgeon's office for an assessment, which includes a review of recent sleep studies. Patients are also evaluated with a scope. This exam allows the doctor to determine the level of tissue obstruction.
  • TORS Surgery: Patients undergo the da Vinci® Robot-Assisted procedure in the hospital. Most patients will stay in the hospital for 1-2 days after their surgery.
  • Recovery: Full recovery is expected to take about three weeks.
  • Follow-Up Sleep Study: About three months after surgery, patients complete a new sleep study to ensure that the procedure was successful.

Like other da Vinci® Robot-Assisted surgeries, the TORS procedure has numerous benefits.  For most patients, the procedure eliminates the need for standard sleep apnea treatments, such as a mouthpiece or breathing device. Other benefits include:

  • very few incisions
  • less scarring
  • shorter recovery time
  • less time away from your day-to-day life

TransOral Robotic Surgery is a revolution in sleep medicine, because it is a minimally-invasive approach to treating sleep apnea. The da Vinci® Surgical System gives surgeons unprecedented dexterity, precision, and vision of the surgical field, so they can perform the surgery through a patient's mouth.

In the past, sleep apnea surgery required a large incision in the neck and jaw - and sometimes even the need to break the jaw. This led to long recovery times for patients. TORS eliminates the need for this approach, so you can get back to your life faster and with less pain. 

TransOral Robotic Surgery is designed for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.  Your doctor will discuss all of your options with you and help you determine the best course of treatment.

To learn more or request a consultation, please click the "Request an Appointment" link at left.

Our online Learning Center has up-to-date, evidence-based information about a number of topics related to sleep apnea - including causes, symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatments.

Learn More

You can also visit the Middlesex Health Sleep Disorders Center webpage to learn more about our sleep medicine programs and services.

Visit the Sleep Disorders Center Page

Dr. Mark D'Agostino is one of just a handful of surgeons worldwide using the da Vinci® Surgical System to perform TORS.

Your Care Team

Mark A. D'Agostino, MD

Mark A. D'Agostino, MD

Specialties / Areas of Care

  • Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat)

Locations

  • Guilford, CT
    203-458-6181
  • New Haven, CT
    203-776-1288
  • Middletown, CT
    860-344-0055
About the da Vinci® Surgical System

Click here to learn more about the da Vinci® Surgical System.