OHSU

OHSU Pioneers TransOral Robotic Surgery in the Pacific Northwest

In March of 2010, Neil Gross MD, FACS became the first surgeon in the Pacific Northwest to perform TORS. Read more

Since then, Dr. Gross has trained other surgeons locally and across the nation on how to safely perform the procedure. The collective experience of OHSU surgeons using TORS is unparalleled in Oregon.

Our Robotic Surgery Team

Treating head and neck cancer requires a team approach. At OHSU, our team includes medical oncology and radiation oncology specialists. We meet weekly and collaborate at the OHSU head and neck cancer conference. It’s here that we discuss individualized treatment plans for each patient. The conference includes expert:
  • head and neck surgeons
  • medical oncologists
  • radiation oncologists
  • head and neck radiologists
  • pathologists
  • oral maxillofacial surgeons
  • laryngologists
  • speech and swallowing therapists
No other hospital in Oregon offers you a broad range of head and neck cancer experts on one cancer care team.

Unparalled surgical experience

Dr. Peter Andersen & Dr. Neil Gross
Dr. Gross and Peter Andersen, MD, FACS, perform TORS on a weekly basis. The head and neck robotic surgery program is directed by Neil Gross, MD, FACS. First surgical assist is performed by Teresa Kochanowski, ANP-C, for both doctors providing a consistent surgical experience for patients. The team also includes highly skilled anesthesiologists and nurses who have been extensively trained in TORS surgery. All members of the team are head and neck robotic surgery experts.