Radiofrequency Ablation of Thyroid Nodules: Prospective Cost-effectiveness Analysis in Comparison to Conventional Thyroidectomy

Overview

Journal Arch Endocrinol Metab

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2021 Nov 11

PMID 34762781

Citations 6

Authors

Marcelo Soares Schalch

Anna Carolina Novais Costa

Rafael Pereira de Souza

Filipe Lamounier Barros Guerra

Roberta Guerreiro

Rafael De Cicco

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare the total costs of surgery and radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules.

Methods: This is a prospective randomized study comparing cases treated with US-guided RF ablation (cases) and surgery (control). They were selected and allocated to groups (thyroidectomy or radioablation) by permuted block randomization in blocks of five cases each.

Results: Five cases of RF Ablation were compared with five cases of thyroidectomies conducted in the same period. Similar complication rates were observed in both groups. Shorter operating time and hospital stay were observed for the RF group. In the evaluation of the total cost between procedures, radioblation represented 76% of the cost of partial thyroidectomy.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that radioablation has a competitive cost, making it an effective alternative in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules.

Citing Articles

Ultrasound-guided Transperineal Prostate Thermal Ablation (TPTA) for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Feasibility of an Outpatient Procedure using Radiofrequency Ablation.

Nunes T, Rocha R, Ilgenfritz B, Stefanini F, Fornazari V, Mariotti G Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2025; .

PMID: 39789257 DOI: 10.1007/s00270-024-03958-9.

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

Malik I, Mitchell J, Thomas J Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1402522.

PMID: 39444453 PMC: 11496115. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1402522.

Radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study.

Garcia C, Solis-Pazmino P, Lincango E, Cho-Tana A, Figueroa L, Ponce O Thyroid Res. 2024; 17(1):1.

PMID: 38167215 PMC: 10763036. DOI: 10.1186/s13044-023-00188-y.

Locoregional Thermal and Chemical Tumor Ablation: Review of Clinical Applications and Potential Opportunities for Use in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Quang T, Yang J, Mikhail A, Wood B, Ramanujam N, Mueller J JCO Glob Oncol. 2023; 9:e2300155.

PMID: 37625104 PMC: 10581629. DOI: 10.1200/GO.23.00155.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules: The First North American Comparative Analysis.

Issa P, Omar M, Issa C, Buti Y, Hussein M, Aboueisha M Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23(19).

PMID: 36232815 PMC: 9569520. DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911493.

References

Del Prete S, Caraglia M, Russo D, Vitale G, Giuberti G, Marra M . Percutaneous ethanol injection efficacy in the treatment of large symptomatic thyroid cystic nodules: ten-year follow-up of a large series. Thyroid. 2002; 12(9):815-21. DOI: 10.1089/105072502760339398. View

Deandrea M, Limone P, Basso E, Mormile A, Ragazzoni F, Gamarra E . US-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation for the treatment of solid benign hyperfunctioning or compressive thyroid nodules. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2008; 34(5):784-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2007.10.018. View

Kim J, Lee H, Lee J, Ahn I, Gon Choi C . Efficacy of sonographically guided percutaneous ethanol injection for treatment of thyroid cysts versus solid thyroid nodules. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003; 180(6):1723-6. DOI: 10.2214/ajr.180.6.1801723. View

Baek J, Kim Y, Lee D, Huh J, Lee J . Benign predominantly solid thyroid nodules: prospective study of efficacy of sonographically guided radiofrequency ablation versus control condition. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2010; 194(4):1137-42. DOI: 10.2214/AJR.09.3372. View

Baek J, Moon W, Kim Y, Lee J, Lee D . Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of autonomously functioning thyroid nodules. World J Surg. 2009; 33(9):1971-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00268-009-0130-3. View

Bron L, OBrien C . Total thyroidectomy for clinically benign disease of the thyroid gland. Br J Surg. 2004; 91(5):569-74. DOI: 10.1002/bjs.4507. View

Papini E, Guglielmi R, Bizzarri G, Graziano F, Bianchini A, Brufani C . Treatment of benign cold thyroid nodules: a randomized clinical trial of percutaneous laser ablation versus levothyroxine therapy or follow-up. Thyroid. 2007; 17(3):229-35. DOI: 10.1089/thy.2006.0204. View

Bennedbaek F, Hegedus L . Treatment of recurrent thyroid cysts with ethanol: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003; 88(12):5773-7. DOI: 10.1210/jc.2003-031000. View

Hong M, Baek J, Choi Y, Lee J, Lim H, Shong Y . Radiofrequency ablation is a thyroid function-preserving treatment for patients with bilateral benign thyroid nodules. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2014; 26(1):55-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2014.09.015. View

10.

Tan G, Gharib H . Thyroid incidentalomas: management approaches to nonpalpable nodules discovered incidentally on thyroid imaging. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 126(3):226-31. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-126-3-199702010-00009. View

11.

Baek J, Lee J, Sung J, Bae J, Kim K, Sim J . Complications encountered in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules with US-guided radiofrequency ablation: a multicenter study. Radiology. 2011; 262(1):335-42. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.11110416. View

12.

Monzani F, Caraccio N, Goletti O, Lippolis P, Casolaro A, Del Guerra P . Five-year follow-up of percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules: a study of 117 patients. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1997; 46(1):9-15. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.1997.d01-1752.x. View

13.

Guth S, Theune U, Aberle J, Galach A, Bamberger C . Very high prevalence of thyroid nodules detected by high frequency (13 MHz) ultrasound examination. Eur J Clin Invest. 2009; 39(8):699-706. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2009.02162.x. View

14.

Singer P, Cooper D, Daniels G, Ladenson P, GREENSPAN F, Levy E . Treatment guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and well-differentiated thyroid cancer. American Thyroid Association. Arch Intern Med. 1996; 156(19):2165-72. View

15.

Lee J, Kim Y, Lee D, Choi H, Yoo H, Baek J . Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of benign thyroid nodules in patients with incompletely resolved clinical problems after ethanol ablation (EA). World J Surg. 2010; 34(7):1488-93. DOI: 10.1007/s00268-010-0565-6. View

16.

Stagnaro-Green A, Abalovich M, Alexander E, Azizi F, Mestman J, Negro R . Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and postpartum. Thyroid. 2011; 21(10):1081-125. PMC: 3472679. DOI: 10.1089/thy.2011.0087. View

17.

Owen R, Silver C, Ravikumar T, Brook A, Bello J, Breining D . Techniques for radiofrequency ablation of head and neck tumors. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004; 130(1):52-6. DOI: 10.1001/archotol.130.1.52. View

18.

Hegedus L, Bonnema S, Bennedbaek F . Management of simple nodular goiter: current status and future perspectives. Endocr Rev. 2003; 24(1):102-32. DOI: 10.1210/er.2002-0016. View

19.

Jeong W, Baek J, Rhim H, Kim Y, Kwak M, Jeong H . Radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid nodules: safety and imaging follow-up in 236 patients. Eur Radiol. 2008; 18(6):1244-50. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-008-0880-6. View

20.

Smith-Bindman R, Miglioretti D, Johnson E, Lee C, Feigelson H, Flynn M . Use of diagnostic imaging studies and associated radiation exposure for patients enrolled in large integrated health care systems, 1996-2010. JAMA. 2012; 307(22):2400-9. PMC: 3859870. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.5960. View