Risk assessments and countermeasures on ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules

Objective To investigate the value of preoperative risk assessments and countermeasures on ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules.Methods The preoperative risk assessments of 311 benign solid thyroid nodules in 274 patients were divided into level 0-Ⅳ,among which 38 nodules on level 0,69 nodules on level Ⅰ,36 nodules on level Ⅱ,59 nodules on level Ⅲ,109 nodules on level Ⅳ.Treatments were performed by moving shot technique or multiplanar shot technique,using Leverage Displacement or Hydrodissection to prevent the adjacent vital structures from thermal injuries.Results 311 thyroid nodules were completely ablated.In ablating the 59 nodules on risk level Ⅲ,thermal injuries were effectively avoided in 30 cases by using Leverage Displacement,while recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries happened in 2 cases using Hydrodissection for 29 nodules.The difference between these two methods on risk level Ⅲ had no statistical significance(P =0.237).To avoid thermal injuries during ablation for 109 nodules on risk level Ⅳ,using Leverage Displacement for 102 nodules,recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries happened in 1 case,while using Hydrodissection for 7 nodules,recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries happened in 2 cases.The difference between the two methods on risk level Ⅳ had statistical significance(P =0.010).No thermal injury happened during ablation for 143 nodules on risk level 0-Ⅱ.Conclusions Preoperative risk assessment on thyroid nodules is helpful in preventing potentially avoidable complications.Proper use of Leverage Displacement can protect adjacent vital structures from thermal injuries during ablation for nodules,which is easy and simple to handle and has a certain practical application value. Key words: Ultrasonography; Catheter ablation; Thyroid nodule