Mrs. GAYATHRI RAJAMANICKAM, a 41 year old IT employee, visited MIOT International on 3rd February 2023 with complaints of a visibly large swelling in the front region of her neck over the past 3 years. She has been receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism in Salem for the past 2 years.

In late 2020, a pharmacist near Mrs. Gayathri’s residence in Salem noticed a mild swelling in her neck and suggested that it could be a thyroid-related issue. With a 7-month-old child, she could not pay much attention to her health. She went to an endocrinologist in Salem almost a year later because the swelling had grown slightly larger and she had lost almost 10 to 15 kg.

The doctor suggested further investigations. A ultrasound scan of neck showed a 4cm complex cystic nodule in the right lobe of her thyroid gland. On taking a biopsy, it was identified as a non-cancerous and non-functional (not secreting thyroxine hormone) nodule.

Doctors recommended that she undergo surgery to remove the entire thyroid gland, which would require her to be on medications for the rest of her life. Mrs. Gayathri did not want to go through with the surgery as she was concerned that it may lead to an unsightly scar post-surgery. She visited almost every endocrinologist in Salem, and everyone suggested surgery.

Thyroid gland surgery has a number of disadvantages
  • Life-long scar in the neck region
  • Life-long thyroid hormone tablets
  • Risk of injury to the laryngeal nerve resulting in temporary or permanent hoarseness of voice
  • Risk of acute respiratory distress if both laryngeal nerves are injured (rare)
  • Damage to the parathyroid glands that control blood calcium levels leads to low parathyroid hormone (hypoparathyroidism) and low blood calcium (hypocalcaemia)
  • Difficulty swallowing can be a temporary problem
  • Injury to the trachea can result in shortness of breath after coughing

Not ready for surgery, Mrs. Gayathri sought alternative medicine options, but nothing helped improve her condition. Meanwhile, the swelling in her neck was gradually increasing in size, and everyone started noticing it. With no options left, she met her doctor and agreed to undergo surgery; a date was also fixed.

However, the thought of surgery and possible scarring made her feel anxious. She decided to research about alternative treatment options and came across the term RF Ablation. She read about its benefits and started looking for doctors and hospitals with that expertise.

The Saviour

It was only then that she came to know about MIOT International, which has a dedicated and experienced interventional radiology department backed by world-class infrastructure to perform such procedures. Without any delay, she rushed to MIOT and met the concerned team of doctors. She was immediately advised to repeat the tests, which confirmed her condition and that the nodule had grown upto 6 cms in size.

MIOT doctors assessed all of her criteria and assured her that she could undergo Radiofrequency Ablation of the Thyroid Nodule, a pinhole procedure that does not require general anaesthesia or surgery and leaves no scar behind.

With her consent, MIOT doctors treated the large nodule through the minimally invasive Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) procedure.

Conventional Surgery – Thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy is usually performed with general anasthesia involving a large incision in the neck region.
The entire thyroid gland has to be removed surgically.
RFA Procedure (via a Pinhole) done by MIOT
The procedure was done under local anaesthesia as no incision was required. The anaesthetic was injected in Mrs. Gayathri’s neck region to numb the area.
A special probe was passed through her thyroid gland and directly into the nodule with the guidance of ultrasound.
Radiofrequency waves were emitted from the probe, producing heat that caused the nodule’s cells to die.
The body’s immune system removes the dead cells and the nodule shrinks by up to 50% within 2 to 3 months.
The entire procedure took just 45 minutes. It was followed by an ultrasound examination, which showed good ablation of the nodule.
Mrs. Gayathri was able to talk normally, breathe easily and swallow comfortably, after the procedure. There were no scars. Mrs. Gayathri was extremely happy with the treatment and care provided by MIOT. She was discharged the same day.

The successful treatment of Mrs. Gayathri’s thyroid nodule through radiofrequency ablation is yet another milestone in MIOT’s journey, echoing its commitment towards putting patients first. The hospital has once again raised the bar for excellence, by paving the path for many more revolutionary healthcare innovations.

The 1st Radiofrequency Ablation procedure for a Thyroid Nodule in Tamil Nadu, performed at MIOT International.
Advantages of radiofrequency ablation procedure at MIOT
  • No anaesthesia
  • No scar
  • No admission
  • No risks
  • No need for checking calcium levels or long term medications
Leave a reply