Dr. Richard Harding explains the benefits of Thyroid Nodule RFA on the Sonoran Living segment of Arizona ABC15!
Thyroid nodules commonly develop in humans and are variable in size, shape and location. Most of these growths are not cancer but may create symptoms of discomfort over time depending on the size, and location in the neck.
Enlargement of the thyroid gland can commonly present with many symptoms including neck swelling, difficulty swallowing, neck pressure, choking, foreign body sensation, or simply a dry cough. Most patients experiencing such issues are sent to a surgeon for thyroid removal.
Thyroid surgery is commonly performed safely and has its benefits for the patients; however, the removal of these abnormal glands also removes normal functioning thyroid tissue and produces a surgical scar.
A non-surgical approach, Thyroid RFA, can now be performed to quickly alleviate these symptoms through a small skin puncture. This new technique involves applying high frequency electrical energy at the tip of a probe to produce a small focus of heat. Under ultrasound guidance, these probes can be advanced to the edges of the lesions. The abnormal tissue is destroyed safely with pinpoint accuracy. This process also protects the normal thyroid tissue and adjacent neck tissue.
After 26 years of experience with thyroid ultrasound and thyroid surgery, Dr. Harding , a general and endocrine surgeon, has been performing thyroid RFA in selective patients at the Thyroid Nodule Treatment Center. He introduced this innovative procedure to Arizona in 2020.
In addition, he has introduced numerous minimally invasive and robotic procedures in Arizona, including endoscopic transoral thyroidectomy. His success in these treatments has changed the lives of many. Evaluation for this thyroid RFA requires a neck ultrasound as well as a few thyroid biopsy tests. These are conveniently offered at the Thyroid Nodule Treatment Center location.
Patients who have been reluctant to undergo thyroid removal now have an option to be treated with an office procedure that provides immediate relief. Patients suffering from huge nodules that push on the windpipe and create symptoms of choking and suffocation can quickly improve without surgical removal of the thyroid gland. Those patients experiencing trouble with swallowing as a result of a large nodule also improve dramatically as the thyroid shrinks in size. Patients enjoy not only seeing their neck swelling improve, but also avoid surgery, and the introduction of thyroid medication to their daily routine. The surgical scar and short-term recovery can be completely avoided.
After a successful thyroid RFA procedure, periodic follow ups for thyroid nodular disease become celebrations of success. All of this is available at the Thyroid Nodule Treatment Center.
About Dr. Richard Harding
Dr. Harding is a member of distinguished organizations, including
Dr. Harding has taught residents in his role as
Associate Professor in Surgery, Creighton University School of Medicine,
Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, and
trainings he has provided on Thyroid Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA).
Dr. Harding has dedicated a large part of his practice to endocrine surgery. He has performed over 2000 endocrine operations for adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid conditions. He is active in the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. He is the first surgeon in the Southwest to perform a Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy, which has the benefit of leaving no visible surgical scar. He is very familiar with the latest treatment guidelines for both thyroid and parathyroid diseases. He now also performs a Laparoscopic posterior adrenalectomy which significantly decreases recovery time for adrenal surgery conditions. For patients' convenience, many diagnostic tests and minor procedures can be performed in his office, including diagnostic ultrasound, ultrasound lymph node mapping, and ultrasound guided thyroid nodule biopsies.
Dr. Harding also treats simple and complex hernias, gallbladder disease, colon cancer, diverticulitis, and gastroesophageal reflux conditions. He performs many abdominal wall reconstructions in patients who have complex hernia conditions, usually resulting from prior surgical procedures or prior failed ventral hernia repairs.
Richard J. Harding, MD has been evaluating and removing hundreds of thyroid glands per year for the past twenty-eight years. He is very pleased to introduce a non-surgical treatment for large benign thyroid nodules. This new method applies internal energy to the thyroid nodules to effectively destroy problematic tissue without injuring the healthy outer thyroid gland.
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