Efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation in the treatment of unifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation (US-PLA), as a minimally invasive ablation method, has been widely used in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. The objective of the current study was to determine the efficacy and safety of US-PLA for unifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

Totally 18 PTMC patients underwent US-PLA at our hospital were selected. Tumor location, tumor volume and thyroid function of patients were examined before percutaneous laser ablation (PLA). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed immediately after PLA treatment. Complications, thyroid function, ablation area size and volume, tumor recurrence rate and metastasis rate were recorded.

Eighteen nodules were completely ablated in 18 patients, and postoperative CEUS showed no contrast fill in the ablated areas. Fifteen patients underwent single needle and single PLA ablation, and 3 cases underwent a second ablation due to incomplete ablation as confirmed by CEUS. All patients tolerated and completed ablation with no serious complications. The maximum diameter and volume of the ablation zones at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after PLA were significantly smaller than the preoperative nodules (P<0.05). The number of tumors that completely disappeared at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months was 1 (5.7%), 6 (38.9%), 4 (61.1%), and 2 (72.2%), respectively. No local tumor recurrence, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis occurred.

US-PLA is a safe and effective technique for unifocal PTMC treatment, which may provide a new therapeutic option for PTMC patients who are not eligible or unwilling to receive surgery.