Tamar Kotz

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Health System

Papers

Total Citations

282

H-Index

About

Tamar Kotz is a leading head and neck surgeon whose research has fundamentally advanced the field of transoral robotic surgery (TORS). Her work focuses on optimizing surgical techniques for head and neck cancer while prioritizing functional preservation, particularly swallowing and quality of life. Kotz’s landmark 2011 study (163 citations) was among the first to prospectively compare TORS outcomes with concurrent chemoradiation, demonstrating that robotic surgery could achieve comparable oncologic control with potentially better functional results. She further pioneered reconstruction protocols for TORS defects, showing in a 2011 prospective trial (89 citations) that primary reconstruction significantly reduces orocutaneous fistula risk and improves post-surgical function. Her 2018 prospective study (30 citations) provided critical evidence on swallowing safety and efficiency after TORS alone, using instrumental assessments to validate treatment deintensification strategies. By systematically evaluating both survival outcomes and functional measures like tongue function and quality of life, Kotz has helped establish TORS as a standard-of-care option that balances cancer control with preservation of essential head and neck functions. Her work continues to shape minimally invasive approaches to head and neck cancer worldwide.