Radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules

Abstract

Benign thyroid nodules are an extremely common occurrence. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is gaining ground as an effective technique for their treatment, in case they become symptomatic. Here we review what are the current indications to RFA, its outcomes in terms of efficacy, tolerability, and cost, and also how it compares to the other conventional and experimental treatment modalities for benign thyroid nodules. Moreover, we will also address the issue of treating with this technique patients with cardiac pacemakers (PM) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), as it is a rather frequent occurrence that has never been addressed in detail in the literature.

Keywords: Implantable cardioverter-defbrillator; Minimally invasive nonsurgical techniques; Pacemaker; Radiofrequency ablation; Thyroid nodule; Ultrasound-guided procedure.