Case Experience of Radiofrequency Ablation for Benign Thyroid Nodules: From an Ex Vivo Animal Study to an Initial Ablation in Taiwan

摘要

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique, used with ultra sound or computed tomography guidance, which can produce tissue coagulation necrosis i various kinds of tumors in the human body. In the past 10 years, numerous studies about RF in benign thyroid nodules have been published. Reviewing these studies, we noticed that th effectiveness of ablation was higher when it was performed with the "moving-shot technique via an internally cooled electrode. A consensus statement published from the Korean Societ of Radiology also suggested the moving-shot technique as a standard ablation procedure fo benign thyroid nodule ablation in Korea. In Taiwan, most symptomatic benign nodules ar currently treated with surgical removal. RFA for mass lesions is primarily performed for the treat ment of metastatic hepatic tumors. In our case, we have attempted to introduce RFA for benig thyroid nodules in Taiwan. Because endocrinologists in Taiwan were not familiar with this tech nique, we adopted a stepwise approach in learning how to perform RFA. We conducted ex viv animal ablation exercises to gain experience in setting the radiofrequency generator for the righ ablation mode and appropriate power output. The thyroid nodule volume reduction rate afte 1 year of follow up was approximately 50% in this case. The most important thing we learned f ror this trial is that we confirmed the safety of thyroid nodule ablation. To the best of our knowledge this is the first reported study of RFA of a thyroid nodule in Taiwan.