Thyroid radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a treatment option for thyroid nodules that aims to remove the nodule while preserving the thyroid gland. This procedure has gained popularity in South Korea and other countries as an alternative to thyroidectomy, a surgery that involves removing the entire thyroid gland. However, the adoption of RFA has been slow in the United States due to insurance companies not covering the procedure, making it too costly for many patients.
Dr. Baek, a specialist in thyroid RFA, believes that the procedure is important for preserving thyroid function and improving the quality of life for patients. In contrast to thyroidectomy, which requires patients to take lifelong hormone replacement medication, RFA allows patients to maintain natural thyroid hormone production.
The cost of thyroid RFA is a significant barrier to its adoption in the United States. While the procedure is cheaper in South Korea and other countries, insurance coverage is a major factor in the affordability of treatment for patients. Insurance companies need to recognize the value of RFA and begin covering the procedure in order for it to become more widely available to patients.
Overall, thyroid RFA is a promising treatment option that has the potential to improve the lives of many thyroid nodule patients. It is important for insurance companies to acknowledge the benefits of this procedure and work towards making it more widely accessible to patients.
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RFA Doctor Directory:
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During this video, the following topics are discussed:
✅ Finding treatments that are not over-aggressive and less-invasive.
✅ 70% of women and 50% of men have thyroid nodules
✅ Less than 10% of nodules are cancerous
✅ Is radiofrequency ablation (RFA) an effective treatment?
✅ Is radiofrequency ablation (RFA) painful?
✅ How long does radiofrequency ablation (RFA) take to show results or shrinkage of the nodule?
✅ Ultrasound can categorize a nodule by low risk, intermediate, or high risk.
✅ Thyroidectomy comes with risks, including: vocal cord paralysis, bleeding, parathyroid damage, and nerve damage.
✅ Patients must educate themselves before seeing a doctor.
✅ About Dr. Larian
Babak Larian is a highly experienced, board certified Ear, Nose, & Throat Specialist and Head & Neck surgeon. Dr. Larian is the current Clinical Chief of the Division of Otolaryngology at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles (January 2012 – present). He graduated with academic and humanitarian distinction, from UC Irvine School of Medicine. In 2002 after completing a 6-year residency program in Ear, Nose, & Throat (otolaryngology) and Head & Neck Surgery at UCLA, he began his professional career. He then went on to become a founding member and later the Medical Director of the Cedars-Sinai Head & Neck Center of Excellence (November 2009 – October 2011).
CONTACT
Email: info@larianmd.com
Phone: 310.461.0300
Website: https://https://www.parotidsurgerymd....
Hyperparathyroidism:
https://www.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parotidsurge...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babaklarianmd/
✅ About Philip James
He is the host of the popular podcast: Doctor Thyroid
www.docthyroid.com
In 2013, his laryngeal nerve was severed, shoulder nerve damaged, parathyroids ruined, and residual cancer left behind — all for a 1 cm thyroid nodule.
Later, a vocal cord implant was inserted to help him speak.
All the above, the result of a bad thyroid surgery that dampened his quality of life — and left him wondering, what exactly happened — during what should be a low-risk surgery?
His attempts to follow up with UCLA and the UCLA surgeon were ignored.
He then turned to other doctors for answers — this was the beginning of the podcast:
"Doctor Thyroid with Philip James"
100+ episodes later, the Doctor Thyroid podcast is popular amongst patients; allowing them to access information from top doctors, without being limited by geography or economics.
The word he uses to describe his work as patient advocate is, ‘tonglen’. Or, using his pain and hardship to help others.
When not producing podcast episodes or co-hosting live Q&As for patients with top doctors, he leads the creative team at Doctor Marketing and Philip James Media — a marketing agency dedicated to digital communications serving the sectors of healthcare, payments, and Greentech.
The Doctor Thyroid podcast is available in Spanish and English - and listened to in over 30 countries:
www.doctiroides.com (Spanish)
www.docthyroid.com (English)
✅Please email your requests to philip@philipjames.co
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/philip-james/
Facebook @docthyroid
YouTube @Doctor Thyroid
Twitter @docthyroid
Looking for a RFA doctor?
Search the RFA Directory:
Protecting the nerves during RFA and thyroid surgery with Dr. Julia Noel from Stanford Health Care.
Hosted by Philip James.
Supported by www.rfamd.com.
Find an RFA doctor at www.rfamd.com 🔹🔹🔹
During this interview, the following topics are discussed:
→ Stanford University prioritizes anatomic structures, ultrasound, and how to best protect the laryngeal nerve
→ Pre- procedure ultrasound is instrumental in minimizing risk
→ Risk to the laryngeal nerve is minimal during RFA
→ Where to deliver heat is guided by ultrasound
→ If unintended consequences occurs during RFA, they are usually reversible
→ Most risk is affecting a patient’s voice
→ Technique and space — away from structures — can be controlled with extra fluid
→ Dr. Noel has conducted 80+ RFA procedures at Stanford University
→ What should every practitioner know in regard to protecting the nerves?
→ Commitment to ultrasound anatomy is critical
→ Ultrasound guided procedures
→ The Stanford RFA team for conducting a procedure is one assistant MD or Fellow, medical assistant laying out equipment and vital signs
→ Patient due diligence when selecting an RFA doctor is key: it should include vetting providers for their experience with RFA → Ask if the doctor has done RFA procedures, what’s the plan for follow up?
→ With RFA, are fewer thyroidectomies occurring?With RFA in clinic, patients now have more treatment options → “No hammers looking for nails”
→ Who is the ideal candidate for RFA?
→ Solitary, large, benign thyroid nodule is the ideal candidate → Cost is between $5000 - $10,000
→ Reduction in thyroid nodule size is up to 80%
→ RFA can be used for malignant nodules
→ Why did it take so long for the U.S. to adopt RFA?
FDA processes are laborious and time consuming
→ Is RFA painful? Generally “no”
→ RFA fills a void in treatment options for thyroid nodule
→ Preservation of thyroid function is key — the thyroid is preserved
→ Does insurance cover RFA treatment?
→ Sometimes the insurance company will cover the procedure through an appeal process
About Dr. Julia Noel
✅ TWITTER @JuliaNoelMD
✅ WEBSITE https://profiles.stanford.edu/julia-noel
✅ WEBSITE https://rfamd.com/julia-noel/
✅ Grand Rounds Video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeiOQ...
✅ About Philip James
✅ Instagram @philipjames360
✅ TWITTER @docthyroid
✅ LinkedIn @Philip James
✅ Website www.philipjames.co
✅ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/DoctorThyroid
🔹🔹🔹
✅ ABOUT Philip James
I shared my story with many of you on my podcast: Doctor Thyroid www.docthyroid.com In 2013, my laryngeal nerve was severed, shoulder nerve damaged, parathyroids ruined, and residual cancer left behind — all for a 1 cm thyroid nodule.Later, a vocal cord implant was inserted to help me speak. The bad result of thyroid surgery dampened my quality of life → and left me wondering, what exactly happened → during what should be a low-risk surgery? My attempts to follow up with UCLA and the surgeon were ignored. So, I turned to other doctors for answers — this was the beginning of the podcast: "Doctor Thyroid with Philip James" 100+ episodes later, the Doctor Thyroid podcast is popular amongst patients; allowing them access to information from top doctors, without being limited by geography or economics. The word I use to describe my work as patient advocate is, ‘tonglen’. Or, using my pain and hardship to help others. When not producing podcast episodes or co-hosting live Q&As for patients with top doctors, I lead the creative team at Philip James Media — we are a marketing agency dedicated to digital communications — serving the sectors of healthcare, payments, and Greentech. The Doctor Thyroid podcast is available in Spanish and English - and listened to in over 30 countries: www.doctiroides.com (Spanish) www.docthyroid.com (English) Please email your requests to philip@philipjames.co 🔹🔹🔹
Looking for a radiofrequency ablation doctor? 🔹www.rfamd.com🔹
Dr. Leonardo Rangel and Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Malignant Thyroid Nodules.
During this episode the following topics are discussed:
✅we are treating malignant nodules with radiofrequency ablation therapy
✅We are using radiofrequency ablation therapy since 2006
✅it is something that we are really experiencing is the treatment of those malignant thyroid nodules with radiofrequency ablation
✅avoid the risk of thyroidectomy
✅surgeons must give patients all treatment options; including no surgery
✅there are some nodules malignant nodules, they are not amenable for radiofrequency due to position, size, or something like this
✅patient consultations take longer because there are more treatment options to consider
✅ the problem of taking the levothyroxine
✅About Dr. Leonardo Rangel
Staff da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Membro da Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço
Membro da Sociedade Americana de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço
Membro da Sociedade Latinoamericana de Tireoidologia
✅Facebook
Rangel MD - Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço
@cabecaepescoco
✅Website
https://www.rfamd.com/leonardo-rangel/
✅ABOUT RFA MD
A guide for locating doctors of radiofrequency ablation. Find radiofrequency ablation doctors from across the world.
rfamd.com
✅
Facebook
@RFADOCTOR
✅
Instagram
@RFADOCTOR
✅
LinkedIn
@rfa-doctor-directory
✅
Twitter
@RFADOC
✅
Internet
www.rfamd.com
✅ ABOUT Philip James
He is the host of the popular podcast: Doctor Thyroid
www.docthyroid.com
🔹
In 2013, his laryngeal nerve was severed, shoulder nerve damaged, parathyroids ruined, and residual cancer left behind — all for a 1 cm thyroid nodule.
Later, a vocal cord implant was inserted to help him speak.
🔹
All the above, the result of a bad thyroid surgery that dampened his quality of life — and left him wondering, what exactly happened — during what should be a low-risk surgery?
🔹
His attempts to follow up with UCLA and the UCLA surgeon were ignored.
He then turned to other doctors for answers — this was the beginning of the podcast:
"Doctor Thyroid with Philip James"
🔹
100+ episodes later, the Doctor Thyroid podcast is popular amongst patients; allowing them to access information from top doctors, without being limited by geography or economics.
🔹
The word he uses to describe his work as patient advocate is, ‘tonglen’. Or, using his pain and hardship to help others.
🔹
When not producing podcast episodes or co-hosting live Q&As for patients with top doctors, he leads the creative team at Doctor Marketing and Philip James Media — a marketing agency dedicated to digital communications serving the sectors of healthcare, payments, and Greentech.
🔹
The Doctor Thyroid podcast is available in Spanish and English - and listened to in over 30 countries:
www.doctiroides.com (Spanish)🔹
www.docthyroid.com (English)🔹
✅Please email your requests to philip@philipjames.co
✅Instagram
@PhilipJames360
✅
LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/philip-james/
✅
Facebook
@docthyroid
✅
YouTube
@Doctor Thyroid
✅
Twitter
@docthyroid
✅
Are you looking for an RFA doctor?
Find one here:
www.rfamd.com
Looking for a radiofrequency ablation doctor? 🔹www.rfamd.com🔹
Radiofrequency Ablation 🛑 REMOVE Thyroid Nodules 🛑 NO SURGERY 🛑 Dr Ralph Tufano
During this podcast, the following topics are discussed:
✅advocate for patients to be as well informed as possible and consider all treatment options for thyroid problems, including avoiding surgery whenever possible and radiofrequency ablation.
✅ five thousand dollars out of pocket and save your thyroid with radiofrequency ablation or thyroidectomy and maybe nothing out of pocket with an insurance paid thyroidectomy?
✅if there are isn't if there are options available if there is an option available to avoid surgery and it gives you an equivalent outcome or maybe even better outcome why wouldn't you choose radiofrequency ablation?
✅with radiofrequency ablation now it's exciting because for thyroid nodules they can be removed without doing surgery
✅before radiofrequency ablation all you had was surgery really and obviously with surgery we talked about the possible risks of surgery and of course probably more concerning sometimes to a lot of people is if you take out half of the thyroid even if you're functioning normally with thyroid your thyroid levels you're having normal thyroid function 25% of those patients will still need thyroid hormone
✅the beauty of radiofrequency ablation is that first of all in most circumstances it's no general anesthesia you can do it in the office much like when you go to your dentist and maybe you're getting a cavity filled you get novocaine or lidocaine to numb up the neck area and then under guidance with an ultrasound you take a needle
✅the beauty of that is that the overwhelming majority of times radiofrequency ablation does not change your thyroid function so think about it we're talking about an invasive procedure surgery general anesthesia complication risk
✅ they have a thyroid problem goiter or a nodule that can be treated by radiofrequency ablation that they seriously consider radiofrequency ablation in preserving the thyroid as a treatment option versus a surgery or a thyroidectomy
✅radiofrequency ablation is very effective and more effective than surgery in fact in ablating and controlling papillary micro-cancer without any real complications
✅radiofrequency ablation seems to be a little more focused and maybe a little bit more able to control that destructive process in that area so you can protect those important structures
✅About Dr. Ralph Tufano
Dr. Ralph P. Tufano is the Director of the Division of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery and conducts thyroid and parathyroid surgery with a focus on optimizing outcomes. He is a recognized world authority on the management of thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules, benign thyroid diseases and parathyroid disease. He has expertise in the management of thyroid cancer nodal metastases, advanced and invasive thyroid cancers as well as recurrent thyroid cancers. His work in molecular markers, improving surgical outcomes, nerve monitoring and exploring novel treatment techniques for thyroid and parathyroid diseases has helped the medical field tailor and personalize treatment for patients with these conditions.
Dr. Tufano has performed every type of minimally invasive endoscopic and robotic thyroid and parathyroid surgery over the years and was director of the initial team that developed the now internationally accepted approach for the scarless transoral thyroidectomy and parathyroid surgery.
Website
https://rfamd.com/doctors/dr-ralph-tufano/
✅ABOUT RFA MD
A guide for locating doctors of radiofrequency ablation. Find radiofrequency ablation doctors from across the world.
rfamd.com
✅
Facebook
@RFADOCTOR
✅
Instagram
@RFADOCTOR
✅
LinkedIn
@rfa-doctor-directory
✅
Twitter
@RFADOC
✅
Internet
www.rfamd.com
✅ ABOUT Philip James
He is the host of the popular podcast: Doctor Thyroid
www.docthyroid.com
🔹
In 2013, his laryngeal nerve was severed, shoulder nerve damaged, parathyroids ruined, and residual cancer left behind — all for a 1 cm thyroid nodule.
Later, a vocal cord implant was inserted to help him speak.
🔹
100+ episodes later, the Doctor Thyroid podcast is popular amongst patients; allowing them to access information from top doctors, without being limited by geography or economics.
🔹
The word he uses to describe his work as patient advocate is, ‘tonglen’. Or, using his pain and hardship to help others.
🔹
The Doctor Thyroid podcast is available in Spanish and English - and listened to in over 30 countries:
www.doctiroides.com (Spanish)🔹
www.docthyroid.com (English)🔹
✅Please email your requests to philip@philipjames.co
✅Instagram
@PhilipJamesMedia
✅
LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/philip-james/
✅
Facebook
@docthyroid
✅
YouTube
@Doctor Thyroid
✅
Twitter
@docthyroid
✅
¿Está buscando un médico RFA?
Encuentre un médico aquí:
www.rfamd.com
🔹 Roberto Valcavi 🔹 MD, FACE, ECNU Reggio Emilia, Italy
RFA for benign nodules, for cystic nodules, for hyper functioning nodules, benign nodules, and now for malignant micro-papillary tumors.
During this episode the following topics are discussed:
The six steps that go into the RFA
STEP 1: setup of the patient. The setup of the patient is in an operatory room -- the safety of a operatory room is by far greater than the setting of an ambulatory room so
STEP 2: prepare for anesthesia.
STEP 3: electrode needle insertion; it is done at the point exactly at the point transistorically...
Step 4: preparation in regard to the laryngeal nerve…. the laryngeal nerve is the most delicate point. The laryngeal nerve may be cooled.
Step 5: extraction; simply take out the needle and at the same time it must. Use compression; avoids bleeding both internal and external
Step 6: Final check.
✅ About Roberto Valcavi
20 years and 1800+ RFA procedures done; laser since 2000
and radiofrequency ablation starting in 2010.
✅ www.rfamd.com/roberto-valcavi/
✅ABOUT RFA MD
A guide for locating doctors of radiofrequency ablation. Find radiofrequency ablation doctors from across the world.
rfamd.com
✅
Facebook
@RFADOCTOR
✅
Instagram
@RFADOCTOR
✅
LinkedIn
@rfa-doctor-directory
✅
Twitter
@RFADOC
✅
Internet
www.rfamd.com
✅ ABOUT Philip James
He is the host of the popular podcast: Doctor Thyroid
www.docthyroid.com
🔹
In 2013, his laryngeal nerve was severed, shoulder nerve damaged, parathyroids ruined, and residual cancer left behind — all for a 1 cm thyroid nodule.
Later, a vocal cord implant was inserted to help him speak.
🔹
All the above, the result of a bad thyroid surgery that dampened his quality of life — and left him wondering, what exactly happened — during what should be a low-risk surgery?
🔹
His attempts to follow up with UCLA and the UCLA surgeon were ignored.
He then turned to other doctors for answers — this was the beginning of the podcast:
"Doctor Thyroid with Philip James"
🔹
100+ episodes later, the Doctor Thyroid podcast is popular amongst patients; allowing them to access information from top doctors, without being limited by geography or economics.
🔹
The word he uses to describe his work as patient advocate is, ‘tonglen’. Or, using his pain and hardship to help others.
🔹
When not producing podcast episodes or co-hosting live Q&As for patients with top doctors, he leads the creative team at Doctor Marketing and Philip James Media — a marketing agency dedicated to digital communications serving the sectors of healthcare, payments, and Greentech.
🔹
The Doctor Thyroid podcast is available in Spanish and English - and listened to in over 30 countries:
www.doctiroides.com (Spanish)🔹
www.docthyroid.com (English)🔹
✅Please email your requests to philip@philipjames.co
✅Instagram
@PhilipJamesMedia
✅
LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/philip-james/
✅
Facebook
@docthyroid
✅
YouTube
@Doctor Thyroid
✅
Twitter
@docthyroid
✅
Are you looking for an RFA doctor?
Find one here:
www.rfamd.com
This is a candid interview with Dr. Gary Clayman about thyroid cancer surgery and making sure a patient receives the best available care.
Dr. Clayman has performed more than four hundred thyroid cancer operations per year for over twenty years among patients ranging from 6 months to 100+ years of age. Nearly half of Dr. Clayman’s patients have undergone failed initial surgery for their thyroid cancer by another surgeon or have recurrent, persistent, or aggressive thyroid cancer. If it pertains to thyroid surgery or thyroid cancer, there is likely nothing that he hasn’t seen.
Dr. Clayman left the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the fall of 2016 to form the Clayman Thyroid Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida
If someone is considering surgery, Dr. Clayman discusses important topics, including:
Other Doctor Thyroid episodes referenced during this interview:
The Parathyroid, and a Safer — Less-Scarring Thyroid Surgery with Dr. Babak Larian from Cedars-Sinai
SHOW NOTES:
Book: Atlas of Head and Neck Surgery
University of Chicago Medicine researchers Briseis Aschebrook-Kilfoy, PhD, assistant research professor in epidemiology, and Raymon Grogan, MD, assistant professor of surgery lead the North American Thyroid Cancer Survivorship Study (NATCSS).
For their most recent research, Aschebrook-Kilfoy and Grogan recruited 1,174 thyroid cancer survivors – 89.9 percent female with an average age of 48
After treatment, thyroid cancer survivors face a lifetime of cancer surveillance and an anxiety-inducing high rate of recurrence, which could contribute to their findings.
"The goal of this study is to turn it into a long-term, longitudinal cohort," said Grogan, who hopes to develop a tool that physicians can use to assess the psychological wellbeing of thyroid cancer survivors. "But, there was no way to do that with thyroid cancer because no one had ever studied quality of life or psychology of thyroid cancer before.”
In this episode, we will explore:
The spiritual, social, psychological, and physical impacts of thyroid cancer. Some of the sometimes over-looked physical impacts include dry mouth, voice problems, dry eyes, dental problems, fatigue, dry skin, and hypoglycemia.
What happens to vocal cords after surgery? Even when not paralyzed, quality of voice is effected.
Often times, family members don't take treatment seriously. Society, healthcare professionals, and the media have minimized thyroid cancer, and in return has made patients feel minimized.
Anxiety about reoccurrence, RAI treatment, and self-concept, influence quality of life for thyroid cancer patients.
A 2011 study by Aschebrook-Kilfoy and Grogan found that thyroid cancer, which is most common in women, will double in incidence by 2019.
Dr. Spencer's major areas of research interest are thyroid physiology and pathology, thyroglobulin and thyroid cancer, immunoassay techniques, thyroid hormone metabolism, and the cost-effective use of thyroid tests. Her current research includes clinical significance of Tg and TgAb in patients with thyroid cancers, parameters for optimizing thyroid hormone suppression of TSH for DTC. Studies on hypothalamic/pituitary mechanisms for regulating TSH, and testing for thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy.
Dr. Spencer earned her PhD from Glasgow University in Scotland. She then went on to complete two fellowships, one in Clinical Biochemistry at Glasgow, and the other at the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry.
resources:
www.thyroidlab.com/updates
Dr. Breen completed a residency with Dr. Gary Weiner at Pearl Natural Health and continues to see patients at this location. Her training and expertise in the areas of IBD/IBS, thyroid health, bio-identical hormones, gynecology, IV therapy, herbal, nutritional and lifestyle changes offers people a holistic, integrative and comprehensive model of care.
Dr. Breen is a wife and mother of two children. She enjoys living in the Pacific Northwest where she hikes, snow skis, and gardens. She has a special love for animals, including her two cats, fermented foods and Tabata workouts.
In this episode, the following topics are discussed:
NOTES: