Thyroid nodules are a health problem that 40% of the society, especially women, suffer from. Stating that these nodules, which are at risk of turning into cancer, although they are mostly benign, should be treated without delay, Endocrinology and Metabolism Diseases Specialist Uzm. Dr. Arif Ender Yılmaz said, “Treatment of thyroid nodules and goiter is possible with microwave ablation, which is a non-surgical method.”
Thyroid nodules, which are estimated to be seen in 40% of the population and 60% of women in Turkey, are among the most common thyroid gland disorders. Experts warn that nodules that appear with symptoms such as swelling in the neck, pain, hoarseness, difficulty in breathing or swallowing carry a 5% to 10% risk of cancer, and warn that it should not be late for treatment. Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Specialist. Dr. Arif Ender Yılmaz said, “We see that patients diagnosed with goiter, which we call both thyroid nodules and thyroid gland enlargement, have a fear of going under the knife. However, this makes treatment difficult as well as delaying it. However, nowadays, treatment of thyroid nodules and goiter is possible with microwave ablation, which is a non-surgical method that allows us to burn tumors and destroy them.
It only takes 15 minutes
Explaining the working principle of the microwave ablation technique, Uzm. Dr. Arif Ender Yılmaz, “The presence of a lump in the thyroid gland is a thyroid nodule; Enlarged and nodular thyroid gland is a precursor of nodular goiter. Whatever the size of the nodules and goiter, they can all be treated without surgery today. Microwave ablation, as the name suggests, has the same working principle as the microwave devices we use in our kitchens. It moves the water molecules in the tumor tissue, causing a friction to develop between them and the release of heat. This heat kills the cells in the targeted tissue. For microwave ablation, which is applied with local anesthesia and takes about 15 minutes, we access the nodules with the help of imaging devices such as ultrasound or tomography and give the tissue the heat energy necessary to burn it with a small needle.
It has also been used in the treatment of early-stage thyroid cancers.
Stating that they achieved successful results even in large tumors of 5 cm and above with the microwave ablation method, Uzm. Dr. Arif Ender Yılmaz said, “Although the microwave ablation method has only been used as recently as 2012, it has become widespread rapidly and will continue to become widespread with high success rates. It is used for local control not only in benign thyroid nodules but also in recurrent thyroid cancers. At the same time, we know that it has started to be used as the first treatment in the early stage of thyroid cancer. We see that it is effective in starting the treatment without delay in terms of not causing any pain and incision marks during and after the procedure, as well as not having the risks of surgery that frighten patients.”
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