Cryoablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules: a Pilot Study

Palpable nodular thyroid disease is common in up to 6.4% of the population, and it becomes more common when the thyroid is examined by ultrasound. The vast majority of nodules are benign and, over time, do not change considerably in size. The main treatment indications for a euthyroid patient with a benign thyroid nodule that is not hyperfunctioning are compression of the trachea or esophagus, growth of the nodule, and recurrence of a cystic nodule after aspiration. Other indications for treatment are neck discomfort, cosmetic concern, and patient anxiety about the lump. The main therapeutic options are surgery (unilateral lobectomy) and treatment with thyroxine. Thermal ablative therapy has become a treatment option for solid thyroid lesions, with extensive reports in the medical literature on safety and efficacy with laser and radiofrequency devices, including long-term follow-up studies (10 years). There is no record in the medical literature of the use of cryoablation devices for the ablation of benign thyroid nodules, although they are used for the treatment of tumor lesions in different sites (hepatic, renal, pulmonary, bone and cervical lymph nodes).The objective of this research is to evaluate, in a pilot study, the safety and efficacy of cryoablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules.

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years of age or older
• Patients with solitary or dominant functioning or non-functioning thyroid nodules with two consecutive fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAb)-proven benign in the last 12 months
• Thyroid nodules should be solid or almost solid (less than 40% of liquid component) with volume between 5 and 65 cc;
• Patients considered high surgical risk candidates or patients are eligible to surgery who are informed about the ablation therapy and prefers it instead surgery;
• Calcitonin, thyroglobulin or TSH serum levels in the normal range values

Exclusion criteria

• Age under 18 years
• Extensive goiter
• Predominantly cystic nodule with small solid remnant (less than 10%)
• Nodule volume > 65 cc
• TSH levels above the normal range
• Uncorrectable coagulopathy / impossibility to interrupt anticoagulants;
• Malignant or suspected malignant cytologic specimens;
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding;
• Anaplastic or poor-differentiated thyroid carcinoma;
• Partial thyroidectomy
• Asymptomatic patients