Abstract
Background
Microwave ablation is a new minimally invasive technique for the treatment of thyroid nodules. Hyperthyroidism due to destructive thyroiditis is a known risk of MWA, but this occurs in only a minority of cases. We report a rare case of a patient diagnosed with Graves' disease 6 months after microwave ablation of a thyroid nodule.
Case presentation
On July 31, 2022, a 43-year-old male patient presented to our hospital with symptoms of pyrexia, excessive sweating, and palpitations for 15 days. History inquiry revealed that the patient had undergone microwave ablation of right-sided thyroid nodule 6 months ago in another hospital. The patient’s thyroid ultrasound suggested bilateral diffuse thyroid lesions, with a moderately echogenic mass observed on the right side of the thyroid gland, potentially indicative of thyroid nodule ablation. The patient had elevated serum thyroid hormone levels, decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and positive associated thyroid antibodies. To control the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, the patient opted for oral antithyroid medication, and the patient's thyroid function returned to normal after 3 months of medication. The patient is now under regular follow-up.
Conclusions
Although microwave ablation is becoming more popular, a number of adverse effects have limited its use. The objective of our study is to analyze the causes of Graves' disease after ablation, emphasizing the importance of strictly adhering to ablation guidelines and standardizing the procedure. Further large-scale studies are necessary to predict the risk factors that affect the regression of thyroid function after ablation and to prevent postoperative abnormalities of thyroid function.