RFA Stellungnahmen Fachgesellschaften

In April 2014, Graz was the first centre in the German-speaking world to use this procedure. Meanwhile we can refer to almost 700 RFAs that have been carried out. Data on the effectiveness as well as side effects of the first 277 patients were published in the internationally renowned journal “Thyroid” in 2018 and can be found under “Media” on our homepage.

In 2016, the Austrian Thyroid Association (OSDG) in the “Journal für Klinische Endokrinologie und Stoffwechsel” (Journal for Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism) described the RFA of nodules/cysts or “hot” nodules in patients who refuse surgery or radioiodine therapy or for whom a contraindication exists as an “outpatient therapy option with high effectiveness and low complication rate“.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology also write in their 2016 guidelines that for benign, growing nodules that are symptomatic or visually disturbing, RFA is a cost-effective and less invasive alternative to surgery, without scarring or the risk of hypothyroidism.

In 2016, the renowned British “National Institute for Health and Care Excellence” (NICE) also adopted these recommendations with its own guideline.

In 2018 there was the Austrian consensus of four professional societies (OSDG, OGNMB, ÖGES and ACE of the OEGHC) on “RFA of thyroid nodules: Good Clinical Practice Recommendations” which report in detail on indications, implementation, complications and aftercare.

In early 2020 a consensus statement of three German scientific societies (Section SD of the DGE, AG SD of the DGN and CAEK of the DGAV) was published.

The ETA (European Thyroid Association) was also the first international professional society to publish a guideline on the performance of thermoablative treatments in 2020 (Papini E. et al Eur Thyroid J 2020; 9:172-185).

As the most important leading international professional society, the American Thyroid Association (ATA) has now also addressed the topic of thermal ablation and is now planning to publish the interdisciplinary consensus statement in 2023 after the review process has been completed. However, the preliminary version shows confirmation of the previous indications, points out important aspects regarding the safety of the treatment, and recommends that it be performed in centers with appropriate expertise.

Thus, there are only positive statements from national and international professional societies and committees. This broad recognition should now also be reflected in everyday clinical practice and promote a more uniform policy on the part of health insurance providers.

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