The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland at the bottom of your neck, can develop solid or fluid-filled tumors called a nodule. Although thyroid nodules are frequently benign, if they become huge enough just to push on neck structures and produce discomfort or cosmetic concerns, people may be faced with a tough decision:
- Undergo operation to partially or completely replace their thyroid, which involves general anesthesia, incisions, and perhaps lifetime thyroid hormone supplementation, or
- Keep experiencing or tolerating the symptoms
Radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that employs heat to reduce nodules from the inside, is now a successful minimally invasive alternative to surgery. Among the few medical facilities in the country that provides radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for benign thyroid nodules are Namaha Hospital and Bhaktivedanta hospital in Kandivali and Mira road respectively. The procedure doesn’t involve any surgery, permanent scars, or hormonal treatment.
A needle-like antenna is inserted into the thyroid nodule during RFA for thyroid nodules. The nodule shrinks as the needle’s tip warms up and causes internal destruction. Through significant research and point-of-care application in Asia, Europe, and South America, the treatment has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective procedure for benign thyroid nodules.
10% of the nodules will enlarge to the point that they produce bothersome symptoms like:
- Large neck bulge
- Neck discomfort or swelling
- Ongoing cough
- Breathing or swallowing issues
- Alterations in voice, such as hoarseness
You should talk to your endocrinologist or Interventional Radiologist about RFA if you are experiencing thyroid nodule discomfort but do not want surgery.
What is ablation by radiofrequency?
To use an electrode with a specific rate of alternating current, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) causes thermal damage (burns) in soft tissue, which causes cell death and causes the afflicted area to shrink.
Numerous illnesses, such as nerve discomfort, various kinds of cancer, uterine fibroids, and various vascular problems have all benefited from the usage of RFA technology.
What dangers do radiofrequency ablations pose?
RFA complications are significantly less common than surgical complications but are nonetheless comparable. Vocal cord paralysis, hemorrhage, hoarseness, infection, and harm to the neck’s supporting tissues are among the potential dangers although seen in less than 1% of patients and prevented in most.
How is the operation carried out?
You have the alternative of moderate pain to mild sedatives (IV medication) during the process, which will assist you in remaining comfortable, relaxed, and consistent.
The surgeon will pass a tiny needle through the skin into the nodule under ultrasound supervision. Doctors employ a parallel technique, which lowers the chance of difficulties by allowing us to see the whole needle during the surgery. People carry out hundreds of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies of thyroid nodules in their facility each year without any issues, and they employ the same procedure for doing so. The excellent rate of thyroid nodule treatment has been undergoing nowadays.
The machine that the needles have linked to runs on electricity to produce heat near the needle’s point. A nodule will be ablated (burned) from within by the doctor moving the needle backward and forth throughout the nodule. The healthy thyroid tissue won’t be impacted. During times, the ablated tissue would transform into scar tissue, which will begin the nodule shrinking.
You can relax after the treatment while the medication wears off. Most people can return home that same day. You’ll need to make transportation arrangements.
