This content was provided by GW Hospital.
New technology, research and collaboration are at the heart of what we do at GW Hospital. We are committed to providing minimally invasive, nonsurgical options to patients with a range of conditions.
Salem Noureldine, MD, FACS, is fellowship trained in endocrine surgery and board certified in general surgery.
Here, Dr. Noureldine discusses thyroid ablation, a new outpatient procedure at GW Hospital. It provides a nonsurgical, minimally invasive option for patients with small cancers or large compressive benign nodules in the thyroid.
Q: How does thyroid ablation improve upon the standard of care?
A: For patients with thyroid nodules, the standard of care is generally to remove the thyroid, which entails an operation. There may be pain from that operation and a recovery phase where the patient has to be away from family or their work. It also requires them to take a thyroid hormone supplement.
Alternatively, we now offer thyroid ablation or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to patients. It is a minimally invasive procedure that involves a needle that has an electrode at the end of it. Under ultrasound guidance, the needle is inserted into that functional or large benign nodule or that small cancer. Ablation of the nodule occurs from the heat generated around those electrodes, causing cancer cells to die. For those large nodules, it causes an inflammatory response that allows the body to break down the large nodules and shrink them.
Thyroid ablation is something that we offer here at GW Hospital. We can take care of patients and get them back on their feet as quickly as possible.
Q: What are some benefits of the procedure being minimally invasive?
A: There is basically no downtime. Patients don’t have to take time off from work or be away from their kids. A lot of patients may not be healthy to begin with and traditional surgery can sometimes be complex in those patients because of general anesthesia. Thyroid ablation does not require general anesthesia.
Many patients who have thyroid disease are in their 30s and 40s. If we remove the thyroid, patients must take a thyroid hormone supplement pill for the rest of their life. Thyroid ablation avoids removing the thyroid and just targets the problem area, so there is no need to take the pill. I think it’s important for everybody to know there are other ways to treat these nodules.
This is a completely outpatient procedure. The thyroid ablation takes about 30 minutes to an hour and then patients can eat, drink, drive and go to work.
Q: What do patients experience during thyroid ablation?
A: It depends on the patient. There are a lot of patients where we do this procedure just under local anesthetic, which means that we inject the area with numbing medication. We also numb the nerves that are around the thyroid. Patients tolerate that procedure very well. They’re awake and talkative with us during this procedure.
Q: What symptoms should people look for?
A: Once nodules grow close to two or three centimeters, they can cause compressive symptoms or pressure against the windpipe or foodpipe. This can cause issues with swallowing or a pressure sensation in the neck. Some patients might feel a lump on their neck. When they see their primary care provider for an annual physical exam, the provider notes a prominence in the thyroid. Most of the time, those nodules are benign, but they can be cancerous.
Q: You mentioned that thyroid ablation is rather new. How does GW Hospital adopt these new technologies and engage in research for surgery and endocrinology?
A: One thing that was helpful for me when I started at GW Hospital was the expertise of the physicians here. It was very easy to work and collaborate with others to innovate and bring newer technology to our patients.
We work together and utilize all available infrastructure at GW Hospital to offer our patients and our community these techniques. We continue to study and think of newer technology that we can bring to GW Hospital to offer our patients and our community the best possible care for their diseases.
Q: Why should people choose GW Hospital for this type of care?
A: I trained here at GW Hospital. I did my residency here and I really take pride in practicing here. It is the people we have — very skilled, very smart physicians — who are really interested in improving the care of our patients and our community.
We have a great support team. I can’t do what I do on a daily basis without my nurses, the staff and the equipment the hospital provides. We have a very good team here that puts the patient at the center of care.
Let the GW Hospital family care for you and yours.
To find a doctor, call 888-4GW-DOCS (449-3627) or visit doctors.gwhospital.com.
Individual results may vary. Talk with your doctor to find out if thyroid ablation is right for you. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The George Washington University Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.
