RFA is relatively painless RFA does not require general anesthesia. RFA is a non-surgical alternative to thyroidectomy and radio-iodine ablation. Increased likelihood of preservation of thyroid function. Fewer complications than surgery Much shorter recovery time with rapid return to normal activities. No surgical incision. Radiofrequency ablation minimizes the risk of permanent damage to the vocal cord nerve or to the parathyroid glands. Radiofrequency ablation does not cause any scarring to the external neck. In most cases, one puncture of the skin is sufficient to treat the entire thyroid gland Because it is minimally invasive and does not require general anesthesia, you avoid the internal and external scarring of traditional thyroid surgery, and the associated risks of anesthesia. Pre-procedural symptoms with difficulty swallowing, feelings of pressure or tightness of the throat, or even the bulky appearance of the nodule are significantly decreased or no longer detectable. The procedure is so gentle that most people have little to no discomfort. This is because the thyroid nodule itself is not sensitive to pain. Other than the initial injection of numbing medication, the only remaining sensation is generally pressure and of increased heat in the neck area. Intermittent episodes of discomfort can be treated with additional doses of pain medication or adjustment of the probe tip. The procedure itself takes less than an hour, the entire process may take 2-3 hours. You should be able to return to most of your regular daily activities almost immediately. Radiofrequency thyroid ablation will not affect your energy or strength.

Symptoms of difficulty and discomfort with swallowing are commonly referred to as dysphagia. Swallowing is a very dynamic process which requires coordinated movement of the larynx, esophagus, and trachea. The thyroid is attached anteriorly to the trachea and larynx and can interfere with normal swallowing process when enlarged. Surgery to remove an enlarged thyroid gland can resolve symptoms of dysphagia. Surgery can also cause symptoms of dysphagia which did not exist before the operation. Post operative dysphagia is felt to be related to scarring, fibrosis, and nerve disruption associated with the removal of a thyroid gland. Often these symptoms may take months to resolve. With dysphagia associated with an enlarged thyroid nodule, the symptoms are related to the mass effect of the thyroid itself. Symptoms of dysphagia often take several months to resolve after surgery. In our recent clinical experience, patients who undergo radiofrequency ablation of the thyroid have rapid decrease in the nodule volume. As volume reduces symptoms from this enlargement resolve in a very short period as compared to surgery. This needs to be quantified in a scientific fashion. At the Thyroid Nodule Treatment Center, we will be studying the effects of RFA on all patients regarding their swallowing symptoms. We will have all patients complete surveys of their symptoms before and after their procedure, and in subsequent visits. This will help validate and measure the long lasting effects of RFA with symptoms that alter quality of life. Thank you in advance for your participation in this valuable study.

A traditional surgical treatment plan roadmap The management of enlarging visible or symptomatic thyroid nodules commonly requires surgery to remove this vexing, but not life-threatening problem. In all patients undergoing surgery, there are considerable fees for hospital resources and the numerous team members required for surgery and post- surgical recovery. The patients are followed for management of their new post-operative condition including medications and blood testing for many years and often for their entire life. The primary care provider initiates a thyroid evaluation with laboratory tests, and a neck ultrasound study. When a significant thyroid nodule is identified, then an ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the nodule is obtained. FNA testing obtains thyroid cells for cytologic evaluation. When the cytologic evaluation of the nodule FNA is inconclusive, the biopsy can be repeated with genetic testing to help us determine that the lesion has low malignant potential. Inconclusive cytology and genetic results will often lead to the recommendation for thyroid lobe removal for pathologic evaluation. Surgical consultation is requested in these patients, and also for patients with large benign symptomatic nodules. The costs of a surgical approach The surgical removal of half or the entire thyroid gland requires a team of trained healthcare providers for successful implementation. The surgeon has his pre- and post-operative team in his office. The hospital has its pre and post-operative team, and provides the operating room with well trained nurses and operating technicians. Expensive operating equipment such as intraoperative nerve monitoring, as well as anesthesia equipment are utilized. During the post anesthesia period there is expensive monitoring equipment and well-trained hospital staff to ensure the safety of their patient. After surgery the patient is evaluated for thyroid gland function with blood testing. Hopefully, if the remaining thyroid is functioning properly, no medication will be necessary. If medications are required, the cost is likely over $100 per month . The monitoring of thyroid function is performed with blood testing of the serum TSH and Free T4 levels at least 4 times during the first year. These tests have a recurring expense of $90 – $280 each time. With all these essential resources necessary for patient safety, the overall charges for surgery range between 55,000 and 65,000 dollars ! The hospital generally charges between 35,000-50,000 dollars for this operation! The surgeon charges between $2500 to $5000. There is an anesthesia fee of about $2500. The removed tissue is sent for pathologic analysis which could cost from $450 to $1200. Total charges for typical thyroid surgery range between $55,000 to $65,000. The charge for Thyroid RFA ranges between $5,000 and $15,000 depending upon where it is performed. This is approximately 10% of the total charges associated with surgery. RFA Is an alternative to surgery that saves costs for the patient and medical system resources During the current pandemic and post-pandemic conditions, scheduling elective surgery is often difficult or impossible. The Thyroid RFA procedure provides an alternative to engaging overburdened hospital staff and facilities. Today, an option to avoid surgery is available when the thyroid nodule can be reliably proven to be benign. Thyroid ultrasound evaluation and cytologic evaluation are used to characterize the thyroid nodules. If favorable results are identified, we can safely determine that the nodules pose no significant harm for malignant potential. Instead of removal of the nodular thyroid gland, the individual nodules can now be destroyed inside gland without surgery.

Everyday new thyroid nodules are discovered by their physicians, family, friends, and even their hairdressers! Some people have symptoms related to the size of the nodules, which directs them to seek medical consultation. Others have no symptoms but learn about these nodules after undergoing radiologic testing for different reasons. The majority of thyroid nodules are benign. The most readily available modality for evaluating these is the ultrasound. The test is easily performed and avoids radiation exposure. The physician performed exam is much better than reviewing the still images saved on prior examinations. The study is easily repeated with no potential harm to the patient. With thyroid ultrasound there are several features in benign nodules that we like to identify to consider a lesion low risk of malignancy. When some of these features are absent, the nodule would be considered indeterminate, or potentially at risk for malignancy. These nodules will be tested using a biopsy to help the physician guide therapy. Not all nodules have the favorable ultrasound characteristics, and yet they may prove benign on biopsy. Additionally, a small percentage of nodules can have favorable findings on ultrasound and yet can be found to have papillary thyroid cancer. It is for these reasons that routine surveillance ultrasound is initiated once a nodule grows to about 15 mm in largest dimension.

The proper evaluation of these nodules is very routine. Much of the thyroid assessment is based on the size of the nodule. Once nodules measure about 15 mm, size criteria are met for recommending an ultrasound guided biopsy. If there are some concerning features seen on ultrasound in a smaller nodule, a biopsy can be performed even if the size criteria are not met. Additionally, a nodule which is enlarging over a short time period should be sampled under ultrasound guidance. Very small nodules under 6 mm do not require a biopsy under most conditions. Many patients inquire if the presence of a nodule alters thyroid function. Generally, nodules do not alter normal thyroid function. Routine blood testing are performed to assess thyroid function. Hypothyroidism is not caused by thyroid nodules. If a patient has hypothyroidism, they should be thoroughly evaluated by their primary physician or an endocrinologist. Hyperthyroidism is rarely caused by toxic thyroid nodules. These nodules hyper-function and drive the hormone levels to an abnormal range. These over-functioning nodules cause symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, increased heart rate, and heat intolerance. If these symptoms exists an endocrinologist is needed to regulate and suppress the thyroid function to normal levels. Further interventions can then be considered to restore normal thyroid function.