Thyroid LASER Ablation in MIAMI: Dr. Agustin Andrade

[@pumbabill]

Jen, I learned about RFA from you, here, a couple of years ago. Covid delayed my biopsy several times so I ended up having RFA in September of 2021 with Dr Andrade. The entire experience was as good as anybody could hope for. Dr. Andrade is very kind and he made me feel comfortable with his ability. His staff is also fantastic. Shout out to Gloria 🙂 I was in and out of his office in about 45-minutes. My wife and I walked to lunch following the procedure. I barely had any sensation from the procedure site. There was never any pain during or after. Well, the needle mark was tender LOL. I was just on the phone with the doctor today. I'm in New Your State, so I had a follow up sonogram done here and sent it to him. He let me know that size reduction was 63%. That was in 3-months, so expecting it to get a lot smaller. Airfare to Miami is very affordable so don't let proximity deter you. It's actually Miami Beach so make it a vacation.

[@musicgirl220]

Thank you so much for this info!

[@carolyngaynor9003]

Did the insurance cover it?

[@nofood1]

@@carolyngaynor9003 2nd most important question here

[@ladymarmalade7]

@@carolyngaynor9003 they dont take insurence

[@xrpchick8150]

Can you clarify if RFA and Laser can only be done on benign nodules? What about indeterminate nodules?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

The use of thermal ablation on indeterminate nodules is still up for debate.

[@carolinedarbigny9318]

Thank you for this video Jen 🙏💕

[@shawunminor1761]

Can this treatment be used for thyroid cancer nodules?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

In this video, Dr. Andrade mentions that he prefers radiofrequency ablation for small cancers. But it is possible to use laser in certain circumstances.

[@chocciechippie4770]

A very valuable video! I'm taking notes!

[@ladymarmalade7]

Hi I called his office today they said he wouldn't do over 1.5 for cancer. Mine is 3.2 papillary, so they wouldn't do it. The were very nice and polite. What do you think about it? thank you so much.

[@ItsmeJenagain]

Unfortunately, that is generally considered too large for nonsurgical treatment. The nodule would not disappear completely, due to it being that large.

[@lshulman58]

I would not want to be one of the first patients a Dr. Treats with either procedure. But how many patients/years doing either procedure would you feel comfortable with a Dr. Doing this? The Dr. In thus video says he has done 60 RFA and 20 Lazer and he sounds like a trusted expert. How many year does he do? Is he now training other Dr's in the USA to do this? How long does. Dr. Generally train before doing this routinely on his/her own?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

He is training other doctors and medical students. He conducts online lectures on all of the procedures he offers.

[@helenk599]

Hi Jen, Thank you so much for the video uploads I'm learning so much. Do you know for toxic nodules if you have to be on anti thyroid drugs before having either laser or RFA or if you can have it without being on these? Thank you!

[@ItsmeJenagain]

I think it depends on the dr and on how hyperthyroid you are. You'll need to ask your physician.

[@dijanamaras4817]

Hi,what if I have papilar carcinom of thyroid...I don't want classic operation so looking for another way... can this help me?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

In some cases, yes. It depends on the size and location of the cancer. I'm going to host 2 sessions on this topic at the upcoming ThyCa Conference. We will have physician experts speaking, as well as patients sharing their experiences. More details at thyca.org. The conference is FREE and available virtually. More details in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m36yl5ibatmlY9ksi=8XE9JYtNIa59p2PO

[@chiayanting4749]

Can this treatment be used for enlargement thyroid benign nodules?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

The procedure treats and shrinks nodules, which will cause the whole thyroid to shrink somewhat.

[@carolyngaynor9003]

Does insurance cover the procedures

[@ItsmeJenagain]

Sometimes, but not always yet.

[@nancysegarra9303]

How small the nodules to qualify or wont matter. I have a 4cm left abd right small one

[@ItsmeJenagain]

The large one would probably need treatment, but the small one may not be causing any symptoms. This was my situation. I have a smaller 1 cm nodule that was on the opposite side which did not need treatment. It has been stable in size for 4 years.

[@annelink8157]

Thank you🙏

[@milagrosroman9978]

What is the % that the nodule will grow back.

[@ItsmeJenagain]

It's very rare unless the nodule is not adequately treated.

[@sdc1407]

what if a nodule is pressing the trachea?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

You would need to consult with a provider to see if you are a candidate. In my case, my nodule was pressing my my trachea, but I was still a candidate for RFA.

[@carolyngaynor9003]

I live in New York. Mine is pressing on tracae, can I see a before and after procedure? How did you like him and was it covered by insurance?

[@lshulman58]

Curious... WHY can't RFA be used in pregnant people or people with pace maker?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

Due to the electric current that is generated by RFA. In cases where a patient has a pacemaker, the dr will need to use a different type of probe that completes the circuit inside of itself rather than to the grounding pads that are typically placed on a patient's thighs. In cases of pregnancy, patients will need to undergo laser, microwave ablation, or cryoablation, or wait until after delivery of the baby.

[@beyondnaturedesigns]

Is laser appropriate for toxic nodules? Or did I missed that? Or your saying once it's set, there is less chance for movement and nerves being affected than RFA?

[@ItsmeJenagain]

Laser and RFA are both effective for hot nodules. Regarding nerve palsy, my understanding is there is a period of time after the procedure when function is more likely to return.

[@sdc1407]

why would a patient need thyroid medicine... I thought this was getting rid of the nodule not the thyroid??

[@ItsmeJenagain]

This procedure doesn't harm the thyroid and won't require the patient to take thyroid medication afterwards. It destroys the nodule only.