In addition to cancer treatments, microwave heating is used to treat enlarged prostates, a fairly common condition. And, here is yet another important application for microwave ablation: (note the ****s I have added). These three papers are all dated in 2012.
All of BSD Medical’s various machines are suitable both for ablations and for adjuvant use, though the MTX-180 appears most suitable (?). And, I assume complete removal of thyroid nodules is not necessary for very positive outcomes.
http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/11/26/4439085/medwaves-incs-microwave-ablation.html
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<Advantages of microwave ablation
Thyroid nodules are treated to date with radiotherapy. While the patient can be treated with radioactive iodine, usually administered in the form of a capsule, this therapy alone is not always sufficient. In such cases, thyroid nodules are usually removed surgically. ****In contrast, microwave ablation has a great advantage in eliminating the risks of surgery and related anesthesia.**** This is especially important for those with pre-existing conditions; for example, cardiovascular disease presents an increased risk during surgery.
As an alternative to surgery, some hospitals have already used radiofrequency ablation, which uses high frequency electric current to remove diseased tissue. ****Compared to this method, microwave ablation has clear advantages. It is faster, more efficient and less painful. "The microwave ablation also causes significantly fewer side effects because no anesthesia is required. This makes it a very promising alternative to the established procedures,"**** says Dr. Hudayi Korkusuz, radiologist of the Department of Nuclear Medicine, who performed the first microwave treatment.>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22940229
(Abstract)
Eur J Radiol. 2012 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Ultrasound guided percutaneous microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules: Safety and imaging follow-up in 222 patients.
Yue W, Wang S, Wang B, Xu Q, Yu S, Yonglin Z, Wang X.
<OBJECTIVE:
Microwave ablation is a minimally invasive technique that has been used to treat benign and malignant tumors of liver, lung and kidney. Towards thyroid nodules, only a few cases are reported so far. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules with a large sample.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A total of 477 benign thyroid nodules in 222 patients underwent microwave ablation in our department from July 2009 to March 2012. Microwave ablation was carried out using microwave antenna (16G) under local anesthesia. Nodule volume, thyroid function and clinical symptoms were evaluated before treatment and at 1, 3, more than 6 months. The study was ethics committee approved and written informed consents were obtained from all patients.
RESULTS:
All thyroid nodules significantly decreased in size after microwave ablation. A 6-month follow-up was achieved in 254 of 477 nodules, and the mean decrease in the volume of thyroid nodules was from 2.13±4.42ml to 0.45±0.90ml, with a mean percent decrease of 0.65±0.65. A volume-reduction ratio greater than 50% was observed in 82.3% (209/254) of index nodules, and 30.7% (78/254) of index nodules disappeared 6-month after the ablation. The treatment was well tolerated and no major complications were observed except pain and transient voice changes.
CONCLUSIONS:
Microwave ablation seems to be a safe and effective technique for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Further prospective randomized studies are needed to define the role of the procedure in the treatment of thyroid nodules.>
http://www.healthtechzone.com/topics/healthcare/articles/2012/11/28/317634-microwave-ablation-shows-positive-results-thyroid-nodules-frankfurt.htm
November 28, 2012
Microwave Ablation Shows Positive Results for Thyroid Nodules at Frankfurt University Hospital
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<The thyroid gland is responsible for many functions in your body. If it is damaged in any way, it can stop or start producing too much or too little of the hormones your body needs resulting in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Beside these conditions, nodules can start forming on the thyroid resulting in benign or cancerous nodules. While most nodules are benign they present quality of life issues for the patients and they have to be removed. The microwave ablation performed at the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the Frankfurt University Hospital was the first European hospital to perform the procedure for thyroid nodules.
The German population has a high rate of this condition, with almost 20 percent of the population experiencing one or more nodules on their thyroid. The population over the age of 65 has a higher frequency of the disorder, affecting nearly one in two people.>
<With a local anesthesia, a needle is inserted into the affected area of the thyroid and the microwaves are focused on the nodules. The heat from the microwave destroys the diseased cells and the treated tissue is metabolized by the body. The procedure last between 10 to 15 minutes for each nodule and a hospital stay of a couple of days ends the treatment. The results are almost immediate and additional procedures can be performed if more nodules are present during the same hospital stay.> |
