Outpatient Laser Surgery Is Newest Treatment for Benign Thyroid Nodules
Outpatient laser surgery may soon become a common treatment for benign thyroid nodules, which affect millions of women around the world.At the April 2006 annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), Roberto Valcavi, MD, Director of the Thyroid Disease Center in Reggio Emilia, Italy reported on his Center's use of this new treatment.
According to Valcavi, treatment of thyroid nodules with the thyroid hormone replacement drug levothyroxine, the traditional treatment for nodules, has been shown to be ineffective in numerous studies. The other popular approach, removal of part of all of the thyroid surgically, can have some complications, including hypocalcemia or damage to vocal cords.
Valcavi reported on a study of 119 women who underwent the new procedure. In laser treatment, optic fibers are placed alongside the nodule using ultrasound guidance, and then illuminated with a laser.
Patients received light sedation (i.e., Valium), and the procedure typically took 30 minutes. This is compared to traditional surgery, which involves general anesthesia, and requires at least an hour.
Both types of surgery have the potential for nerve damage, but it's less common in the laser surgery.
Source: Doctor's Guide
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Int J Cancer. 2006 Apr 26; [Epub ahead of print] Related Articles, Links
Self-reported goiter is associated with a significantly increased risk of gastric noncardia adenocarcinoma in a large population-based Chinese cohort.
Abnet CC, Fan JH, Kamangar F, Sun XD, Taylor PR, Ren JS, Mark SD, Zhao P, Fraumeni JF Jr, Qiao YL, Dawsey SM.
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD.
Iodine is concentrated by the gastric mucosa, where it may act as an antioxidant. Therefore, iodine deficiency, and its sequelae goiter, may be associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. We examined the association between self-reported goiter and upper gastrointestinal cancer in a Chinese cohort of 29,584 adults. Using multivariate adjusted Cox models, we found goiter associated with a significantly increased risk of gastric noncardia adenocarcinoma, HR (95% CI) 2.04 (1.01, 4.11) and nonsignificantly with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma, HR (95% CI) 1.45 (0.91, 2.30). We also found a borderline, insignificant increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, HR (95% CI) 1.37 (0.97, 1.94). Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that iodine deficiency is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
I flew to this Italian doc from Los Angeles and he was able to laser my 3 nodules.
Who is this doctor is Los Angeles? How do I contact the doc to plan the laser surgery?
MY NODULE IS GROWING I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT LASER SURGERY . LAST
YEAR 3CM NOW IT COVERS RIGHT SIDE.
WILL AMERICAN INSURANCE COVER IF I HAVE TO GO TO ITALY. HELP
I’m scheduled for radiation treatment for my 9 benign, but growing nodules. I’m scared, and would like to know more about the laser treatment. One of my nodules is growing ‘in’ - anybody????
I just received a biopsy on my 3 thyroid nodules and am awaiting the results. How do I contact this doctor for laser surgery if needed?
Thanks
KAJ
I would really like to know how much it cost to do the laser surgery. I am planning to have a baby and I was told if I have thyroid problem it is risky. I might have miscarriage, premature birth, intellectual development of the baby is affected. I do not want that to happen. Please help me find a good doctor and an estimate so I can prepare for it. I do not have insurance right now. Thank you.
Please help me how much it will cost for this laser technology if I go this Italian doc? I have a enlargement of my left thyroid Nodule.Is this technology available now in the Philippines? Thanks for the help that you can provide me.
How, where do I find a Dr. in the US that does this laser procedure. I am facing complete thryroid removal soon.
Chris
Great to hear this about the laser surgery. I asked my doctor at Medical center in SF, Ca. and they said there was no such treatment for thyroids.
im suffering from hyperthyroidism for four years, please advice how can i get this treatmetn, i with to treat my hyperthyroidism via laser, im from Kathmandu Nepal, please help me in this reard