Patient satisfaction after thyroid RFA versus surgery for benign thyroid nodules: a telephone survey

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart of patient selection.

Table 1. Patients’ characteristics at baseline.

Variable	RFA (115)	hEMItx (68)	p Value
Age (years)	59.2 ± 14.8	51.1 ± 14.6	.002
Sex
M	28 (24.3%)	14 (20.6%)	.64
F	87 (75.7%)	54 (79.4%)
Volume (mL)	18.0 ± 16.1	16.5 ± 13.2	.54
Type of nodule
Solid	80 (69.6%)	27 (39.7%)	<.001
Mixed	28 (24.3%)	27 (39.7%)
Cystic	7 (6.1%)	14 (20.6%)
Vascularity
0	4 (3.5%)	7 (13.0%)	.05
1	41 (35.7%)	21(38.9%)
2	48 (41.7%)	22 (40.7%)
3	17 (14.8%)	4 (7.4%)
4	5 (4.3%)	0 (0%)
TSH (microU/mL)	1.2 ± 1.4	2.4 ± 6.9	.92
Calcitonin (pg/mL)	1.4 ± 1.1	1.7 ± 3.2	.30
Ab
Negative	100 (87.0%)	58 (85.3%)
Positive	15 (12.8%)	10 (14.7%)	.72

Table 2. Nodule volume reduction after RFA.

	Baseline	1 month	1 year	2 years	p Value
All nodules
Patients	(115)	(115)	(115)	(94)
Volume (mL)	18.0 ± 16.1	9.4 ± 10.1	5.1 ± 6.7	4.7 ± 8.4	<.001
Nonfunctioning thyroid nodules
Patients	(83)	(83)	(83)	(66)
Volume (mL)	18.3 ± 17.2	9.9 ± 11.4	5.5 ± 7.7	5.3 ± 9.8	<.001
Autonomously functioning thyroid nodules
Patients	(32)	(32)	(32)	(28)
Volume (mL)	16.9 ± 12.8	8.3 ± 5.8	3.9 ± 3.1	3.5 ± 3.4	<.001

Figure 2. Survey outcome in all patients. Patients included 115 subjects treated with RFA and 68 subjects treated with surgery. (A) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the resolution of nodule-related symptoms?’. Upper panel: pie charts that include asymptomatic patients; lower panel: pie charts that exclude asymptomatic patients. (B) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the cosmetic results?’. (C) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied overall with the procedure?’.

Figure 3. Survey outcome in the subgroup of patients with nonfunctioning thyroid nodules. Patients included 83 subjects treated with RFA and 44 subjects treated with surgery. (A) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the resolution of nodule-related symptoms?’. Upper panel: pie charts that include asymptomatic patients; lower panel: pie charts that exclude asymptomatic patients. (B) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the cosmetic results?’. (C) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied overall with the procedure?’.

Figure 4. Survey outcome in the subgroup of patients with autonomously functioning thyroid nodules. Patients included 32 subjects treated with RFA and 24 subjects treated with surgery. (A) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the resolution of nodule-related symptoms?’. Upper panel: pie charts that include asymptomatic patients; lower panel: pie charts that exclude asymptomatic patients. (B) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied with the cosmetic results?’. (C) Pie charts representing the distribution of the answers ‘yes’, ‘partially’ and ‘no’ to the question: ‘Are you satisfied overall with the procedure?’.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.