AUTHOR=Yan Lin , Zhang Ying , Jiang Bo , Luo Yukun 

TITLE=Radiofrequency Ablation for Cervical Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Children and Adolescents With Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.624054

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2021.624054

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation(RFA) for metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in children and adolescents with papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC).
Materials and Methods: From December 2014 to March 2018, 10 metastatic LNs(mean volume 0.30±0.38 ml, range 0.06-1.23ml) in 5 children and adolescents (3 females, 2 males; mean age 15.60±2.97 years, range 12-19 years) with PTC treated by RFA were evaluated in this study. The mean number of surgical procedures performed before RFA was 1.2 (range 1-2) and the mean number of treated metastatic LNs per patient was 2 (rang 1-3). RFA was performed with an 18–gauge bipolar RF applicator under local anesthesia. Follow-up consisted of US and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level at 1, 3, 6, 12 months and every 12 months thereafter.
Results: All the patients were well tolerant to RFA procedure and no procedure-related complications occurred. During a mean follow-up time of 52.00±21.44 months, the initial volume of LNs was 0.30±0.38 ml, which significantly decreased to 0.01±0.03 ml(P =0.005) with a mean VRR of 99.28±2.27%. A total of 9 metastatic LNs (90.00%) completely disappeared. After RFA, 2 patients developed newly metastases. One patient had additional RFA. The other one with multiple LN metastases underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection.
Conclusion: As a less invasive and effective technique, RFA may provide another alternative to the existing therapeutic modalities for cervical metastatic LNs in children and adolescents with PTC.