Benign thyroid nodule unresponsive to radiofrequency ablation treated with laser ablation: a case report

Efficacy of echolaser smart interface-guided laser ablation in volume reduction of symptomatic benign thyroid nodules

Background

The management of benign symptomatic thyroid nodules until recent years has been limited to surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, or surveillance which is associated with the burden of morbidity of complications or symptom non-relief as well as cost. Laser ablation has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative, this uses laser energy to thermally ablate nodule tissue, leading to volume reduction and symptom relief. Long-term treatment response data is growing but remains limited in the United States. Our study aims to quantify the effectiveness of laser ablation in reducing the volume of thyroid nodules over a 12 to 18-month period.

Materials and methods

Retrospective review of data was conducted for 63 adults with cytologically benign, solid symptomatic thyroid nodules ranging from 1.333 cm3 to 103.794 cm3 in volume. Ultrasound-guided laser thermal ablation was performed on all nodules using EchoLaser X4 Smart Interface device with 1064 nm diode laser to deliver total ablation energy (joules), calculated per device guidelines. Serial sonographic volume measurements were conducted 1 month, 3 -6 months, 6 - 12 months, and 12 to 18 months post-ablation intervals.

Results

Study cohort was comprised of 63 thyroid nodules. reduction in nodule volume increased progressively over time, with median reductions of 46.05% [STD 21.8] at 1 month, 60.33% [STD 20.1] at 3-6 months, 68.69% [STD 18.8] at 6-12 months, and 64.04% [STD 19.27] at 12-18 months. A total of 62, 56, 42, and 17 nodules had available data for analysis at these respective intervals.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a marked progressive reduction of thyroid nodule volume following ablation. The treatment appears to be consistently effective in reducing symptoms across a wide range of nodule sizes, although the degree of volume reduction varies. The results of our study underscore the potential of laser ablation as a viable treatment option for thyroid nodules, with a sustained reduction in nodule volume observed over an extended post-procedure period.

Radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodule treatment: New solution in our center

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Thyroid nodules are one of the most common thyroid disorders and are estimated at 4-7 % in the general population. Although it is estimated that 95 % of thyroid nodules are benign and only 4.0-6.5 % malignant, a combined assessment of clinical data, ultrasound imaging, and FNAB is needed to estimate the risk of malignancy. Several minimally invasive nonsurgical modalities have been developed to treat thyroid nodules, including ethanol ablation (EA), laser ablation (LA), microwave ablation (MWA), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Since 2006, this method had been used to treat thyroid nodules and reported to have good efficacy and safety for treating benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancer. This paper aims to provide the efficacy and safety of the RFA procedure in benign thyroid lesions.

CASE PRESENTATIONS

Here we report 34 cases of patients with thyroid nodules who underwent RFA procedures. After the procedure, patients were followed up in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth months. The ratio of decreasing volume in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth months was as follows 81.6 %; 76.89 %; 63.48 %, 60.11 %.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Factors that are thought to predict RFA response include small volume nodule (<12 ml), the presence of a fluid component and well-defined margins, the absence of vascularization, and nonfunctioning status. However, RFA has several limitations, including the procedure that is highly operator dependent to maximize its efficacy, the possibility of persistent lesions, and the lack of a final histological diagnosis that does not completely exclude aggressive histological variants.

CONCLUSION

The RFA procedure has minimal side effects, is highly effective, and is short in procedure time.

Minimally Invasive Radiofrequency Ablation for Large Thyroid Toxic Adenoma

Background: Most thyroid nodules are benign and do not need intervention. Toxic adenoma and toxic multinodular goiter (MNG) are common causes of hyperthyroidism, second in prevalence only to Graves’ disease. Toxic adenoma and MNG are the result of focal or diffuse hyperplasia of thyroid follicular cells whose functional capacity is independent from regulation by the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When conservative treatment modalities fail to ensure an euthyroid state, surgical intervention is required, typically surgical left or right thyroid lobectomy. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a new percutaneous treatment option that results in thermal tissue necrosis and fibrosis. As a result of this process, the thyroid nodules shrink.

Case presentation: We describe a case of a young woman with a large toxic thyroid adenoma who refused surgery. She was admitted to a one-day surgery unit and underwent radiofrequency ablation under total intravenous anesthesia. Using “moving shot technique” the procedure went uneventfully and the toxic adenoma displayed a significant volume reduction with resolution of the hyperthyroid symptoms. The patient also reported a significant improvement of her neck symptoms (from 7/10 to 1/10 on a Visual Analogue Scale).

Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation is a new, well tolerated, safe and effective treatment option in selected patients with benign thyroid nodules, toxic adenomas of the thyroid gland and multinodular goiter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time such treatment modality is used in Bulgaria.