Background: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) in five medical centers in Taiwan.
Methods: From April 2016 to July 2020, 762 patients underwent ultrasound guided RFA treatment of 826 benign thyroid nodules at five medical centers in Taiwan. The RFA procedure was performed by radiologists, otolaryngologists, or surgeons. Patients were grouped into three subgroups according to the initial volume of BTNs. The volume reduction ratio (VRR) of each nodule, and complications were analyzed at 1, 3, and 6 months after RFA treatment and the three groups compared.
Results: The large nodular group showed greater VRR compared to the other two groups at first 1-month follow-up. At 6-months follow-up, there was no significant difference of VRR among the three groups. Goiters with difference in size can attain a successful VRR (>50%) although different specialists demonstrated variable VRR after 6-months follow-up. A total of 40 (4.8%) complications were reported. All patients recovered spontaneously without surgery intervention.
Conclusions: The reliability and safety of RFA for benign thyroid nodules had been established. RFA has gradually become an alternative to surgery in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules in Taiwan.
Keywords: Taiwan; goiter; radiofrequency ablation; thyroid gland; ultrasound.