How Effective Microwave Ablation is?

The first studies were reported by Chinese researchers. Feng et al. first demonstrated the feasibility of MWA to treat benign thyroid nodules and reported a mean volume reduction rate of 45.9% (from 1 to 9 month) [6].

A study involved 198 patients with T1NOMO mETE-PTCs (92 patients elected MWA and 106 patients elected surgery for treatment) were included to assess the rates of technical success, oncologic outcomes, complications, and quality of life. The follow-up times for the MWA and surgery groups were 12.7 ± 4.1 and 12.6 ± 5.0 months, respectively. The technical success rate was 100% for both groups. Oncological outcomes of the two groups were similar during the follow- up. Three complications (3.3%) were reported in the MWA group and 4 (3.8%) in the surgery group. The surgery group had higher scores for scar problems and anxiety [7].

A study evaluated 171 patients with 180 benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) that had been treated with ultrasound guided MWA. The mean diameter and volume of the nodules were 4.3 ± 1.3 cm and 18.9 ± 2.1 ml, respectively. The VRRs at the 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month follow-ups were 47.1%, 68.2%, 79.7%, 87.4%, 90.1%, and 93.2%, respectively [8].

In conclusion, the ultrasound-guided MWA is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and PTMC.

• High cosmetic score and less scarring

  

• Shorter hospitalization stay

  

• Little to no damage to healthy thyroid tissue, preserving the thyroid functions

  

• Quicker recovery time

  

• High success rate with low risk of complication

  

• General anesthesia is not required

  

Reference List

1. Sung, H., Ferlay, J., Siegel, R. L., Laversanne, M., Soerjomataram, ., Jemal, A., & Bray, F. (2021). Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 71(3), 209-249.

2. Papini, E., Moneyssen, H., Frasoldati, A., & Hegedüs, L. (2020). 2020 European thyroid association clinical practice guideline for the use of image-guided ablation in benign thyroid nodules. European thyroid journal, 9(4),172-185.

3. Mauri, G., Hegedüs, L., Bandula, S., Cazzato, R. L., Czarniecka, A., Dudeck,O. & Papini, E. (2021). European Thyroid Association and Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe 2021 clinical practice guideline for the use of minimally invasive treatments in malignant thyroid lesions. European thyroid journal, 10(3), 185-197.

4. Simon, C. J., Dupuy, D. E., & Mayo-Smith, W. W. (2005). Microwave ablation: principles and applications. Radiographics, 25(suppl_1), S69-$83.

5. Xu, B., Zhou, N. M., Cao, W. T., & Gu, S. Y. (2018). Comparative study on operative trauma between microwave ablation and surgical treatment for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 6(15), 936.

6. Feng B, Liang P, Cheng Z, et al. (2012). Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules: experimental and clinical studies. Eur J Endocrinol 166:1031-37.

7. Zheng, L., Dou, J. P., Liu, F. Y., Yu, J., Cheng, Z. G., Yu, x. L., ... & Liang, P. (2023). Microwave ablation vs. surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma with minimal sonographic extrathyroid extension: a multicentre prospective study. European Radiology, 33(1), 233-243.

8. Luo, F., Huang, L., Gong, X., Han, Z., Liu, F., Cheng, Z., ... & Yu, J. (2021). Microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules: 3-year follow-up outcomes. Head & Neck, 43(11), 3437-3447.

9. Zheng, L., Dou, J. P., Han, Z. Y., Liu, F. Y., Yu, J., Cheng, Z. G., ... & Liang, P. (2023). Microwave Ablation for Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma with and without US-detected Capsule Invasion: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study. Radiology, 307(3), e220661.