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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiofrequency ablation | 3/3 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiofrequency_ablation | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T07:32:26.338818+00:00 | kb-cron |
== Barrett's esophagus == Radiofrequency ablation has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for Barrett's esophagus. The balloon-based radiofrequency procedure was invented by Robert A. Ganz, Roger Stern and Brian Zelickson in 1999 (System and Method for Treating Abnormal Tissue in the Human Esophagus). While the person is sedated, a catheter is inserted into the esophagus and radiofrequency energy is delivered to the diseased tissue. This outpatient procedure typically lasts from fifteen to thirty minutes. Two months after the procedure, the physician performs an upper endoscopic examination to assess the esophagus for residual Barrett's esophagus. If any Barrett's esophagus is found, the disease can be treated with a focal RFA device. Between 80 and 90% or greater of people in numerous clinical trials have shown complete eradication of Barrett's esophagus in approximately two to three treatments with a favorable safety profile. The treatment of Barrett's esophagus by RFA is durable for up to 5 years.
== Thyroid nodules == Radiofrequency ablation has been used successfully on benign thyroid nodules for decades, most notably in Europe, South America and Korea. In the United States, the FDA approved the use of RFA techniques for thyroid nodules in 2018. Since then, professional guidelines reflect its use as a viable treatment modality for thyroid nodules, and the procedure is increasingly applied.
=== Timeline in the United States ===
- 2023: the American Thyroid Association issued the position statement "Thyroid ablative procedures provide valid alternative treatment strategies to conventional surgical management for a subset of patients with symptomatic benign thyroid nodules.
- 2022: the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists published an update in Endocrine Practice, stating that the "new image-guided minimally invasive approaches appear safe and effective alternatives when used appropriately and by trained professionals to treat symptomatic or enlarging thyroid masses".
- 2018: FDA approved the RFA procedure for treatment of benign thyroid nodules.
=== Procedure === The procedure is similar to a thyroid biopsy, although instead of using a needle to remove cells from the nodule, a probe delivers heat to the interior of the nodule that effectively cauterizes the tissue. Over the course of 3–6 months, the nodule will continue to shrink, typically achieving a 50-80% reduction total size. In order to qualify for an RFA procedure, a person must have a clearly benign thyroid nodule, usually proven by two fine needle aspiration biopsies. As of 2020, RFA is not recommended for the treatment of malignant thyroid nodules, although research into this topic is ongoing.
== Other uses == RFA is also used in radiofrequency lesioning for vein closure in areas where intrusive surgery is contraindicated by trauma, and in liver resection to control bleeding (hemostasis) and facilitate the transection process. This process has also been used to treat TRAP sequence in multiple gestation pregnancies. This has an acceptable success rate for saving the 'pump' twin in recent studies compared to previous methods including laser photocoagulation. RFA is used to treat uterine fibroids using the heat energy of radio frequency waves to ablate the fibroid tissue. The Acessa device obtained FDA approval in 2012. The device is inserted via a laparoscopic probe and guided inside the fibroid tissue using an ultrasound probe. The heat shrinks the fibroids. Clinical data on the procedure show an average of 45% shrinkage. RFA is also used in the treatment of Morton's neuroma where the outcome appears to be more reliable than alcohol injections.
== See also == Interventional radiology Radio frequency Heart arrhythmia
== References ==