Robotic Oncology Center
 
 

Head and Neck Robotic Surgery

UC Irvine Health head and neck cancer surgeons are among the first physicians in the world to perform a robot-assisted thyroidectomy using the da Vinci Surgical System®. Surgeons at the UC Irvine Health Robotic Oncology Center also offer other robot-assisted head and neck procedures, including transoral robotic surgery (TORS), which allows access to the throat and voice box to perform surgical resections through the mouth, avoiding disfiguring facial incisions.

The center at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange uses the latest robotic technology to treat cancer. It is one of a handful of multidisciplinary robotic oncology centers in the United States and the first of its kind in Orange County. Through the center at Orange County's only university hospital, patients have access to the expertise and care provided by our highly skilled team of surgeons, nurses and technicians who specialize in using the da Vinci system. 

For appointments, please call 877-399-IROC (877-399-4762).

Clinical Team


Dr. William B. Armstrong William B. Armstrong, MD
Head and neck oncologist


Dr. Armstrong is a fellowship-trained head and neck surgeon who specializes in head and neck cancer treatment, including robot-assisted trans-axillary thyroid surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center. He has extensive expertise in the management of thyroid and parathyroid disorders. Armstrong has a career interest in the early diagnosis, prevention and minimally invasive treatment of head and neck cancer. He was an early adopter of transoral laser microsurgery to treat head and neck cancer, and, as a natural extension of this minimally invasive technique, he is applying it to transoral robot-assisted surgery (TORS). He also is actively developing robot-assisted approaches for the surgical treatment of thyroid nodules as well as future applications for other surgical procedures involving the head and neck region.

Learn more about Dr. Armstrong ›

Dr. John A. Butler John A. Butler, MD
Surgical oncologist


Dr. Butler is a fellowship-trained cancer surgeon specializing in breast and endocrine surgery. Butler is establishing a program in minimally invasive robot-assisted trans-axillary thyroid surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center. In addition to his role in the Robotic Oncology, Butler coordinates care provided by the university medical center’s multidisciplinary breast cancer team, which includes surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists. His current interests are in breast and endocrine surgery.

Learn more about Dr. Butler ›