RFA for Thyroid Nodules and Cancer:: Transformative Therapy With Abuse Risks.
Endocrine Practice 28( 2022) 233-234.
Haymart MR et at
Dr.Guttler’s comments.
1. RFA can and will change how we care for patients with nodules and cancer in the USA.
2. Studies show decreased size and relief of symptoms and cosmetic effects with RFA.
3. This removes surgery as the first line treatment for benign thyroid nodules.
4. RFA removes surgical risks, need for hospital admission, avoids scars, and offers cost savings as well.
5. RFA improves quality of life and improves patient satisfaction.
6.What are the risks of abuse?
7. Gold rush to offer Thyroid RFA by unqualified physicians for financial gain over patient care needs.
8. Example is the groups using RFA for varicose vein therapy now offering to treat thyroid nodules.
9. Every hospital and imaging center has ads on Google offering thyroid RFA.
10. Thyroid RFA is technically challenging. Extensive training and experience is needed to ensure it is safely applied. It takes years not months to become expert in treating thyroid patients.
11. Thyroid RFA is not risk free. Operators need to explain the risks fully not just say it is safer than surgery.
12. Thyroid RFA Tumor boards should be used to optimize patient care not just for surgery.
13. Post Thyroid RFA causes changes in the ultrasound pattern and can be a cause of unnecessary biopsies.
14. A new procedure will like thyroid RFA will have a large number of low volume providers. The patient should seek out providers with the most experience working with thyroid RFA.
15. Kim et al study Surgery 2022,171 (1) 160-164 on 411 patients found 70% were candidates for thyroid RFA!
16. With 7 years experience working with thyroid RFA systems in my office from 3 different companies, and treating patients since 2018 FDA approval, I am an experienced operator here to care for your thyroid nodule or cancer.
17. Call me at 310-393-8860 or email to thyroid.manager@thyroid.com.
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