First Clinical Series of Patients Undergoing Nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation for Symptomatic Benign Thyroid Nodules in a Clinic Setting
Authors' conclusion
This study represents the first reported clinical series of nsPFA outcomes for thyroid nodules in North America and the first in the world in a clinic setting. Early findings suggest that nsPFA is a promising, minimally invasive alternative to surgery for symptomatic BTNs, offering significant volume reduction and an excellent safety profile. The rapid symptomatic improvement and durable volume reductions during limited follow-up support further investigation. The modest sample size, retrospective design, and loss to follow-up at later time points may affect the interpretation of sustained effectiveness. Larger, prospective studies with extended follow-up are warranted to validate these results, assess long-term outcomes, and compare procedural environments.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with symptomatic benign thyroid nodules (benign cytology on fine-needle aspiration biopsy) treated in a clinic setting
- Participants
- 38 patients48 symptomatic benign thyroid nodules (BTNs)
- Outcome
- Nodule volume reduction
- Follow-up
- 1, 3, 6 and 12 months
Methodological detailsclinic setting, nodule-level repeated measures analysis
- Clinic setting
- Nodule-level repeated measures analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
1 month
49.0%
CI 42.5–55.4
3 months
53.5%
CI 48.6–58.4
6 months
51.8%
CI 45.2–58.5
12 months
50.2%
CI 34.9–65.5
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Ablation cycles
- Primary nodules: median low-voltage cycles
- 37
- Primary nodules: median default-voltage cycles
- 24
- Additional nodules required fewer total cycles
Symptomatic improvement · often as early as 2 weeks
- All patients reported symptomatic improvement
Antithyroid medication · within 1 month
- Toxic nodules initially on antithyroid medication
- 3 patients
- Nontoxic nodule initially on antithyroid medication
- 1 patient
- All successfully discontinued antithyroid medication within 1 month
Thyroid function
- No abnormalities across patients with toxic and nontoxic nodules
Safety
- Procedural or post-procedural complications
- 0
- No thyroid function abnormalities on subsequent monitoring
Original publication
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