For the first time in the provincial public system of Córdoba, a microwave ablation (MWA) procedure was performed to treat a benign thyroid nodule. This procedure avoids conventional surgery, leaves no scars, and preserves thyroid function. According to a report accessed by the Argentine News Agency, this is a modern, minimally invasive, and outpatient procedure that uses controlled thermal energy to reduce the size of the nodule without subjecting the patient to conventional surgery. The procedure took place at the Nuevo Hospital San Roque, and the incorporation of this technology marks a significant advance for the public health system by offering a modern and accessible therapeutic alternative. The main benefit of this treatment is that it avoids removing the thyroid gland and everything that entails: it leaves no scars, does not require hospitalization, does not require recovery time, preserves healthy thyroid tissue, and also prevents the person from taking medication to supplement the thyroid gland's function for life. The intervention was carried out by the Head and Neck services, coordinated by Drs. Nicolás Menso and Gabriel Flores, and the Endocrinology service, which formed a joint work unit for the comprehensive management of thyroid and parathyroid pathologies. The medical team that performed the ablation. Photo: NA Agency (Nuevo Hospital San Roque) This interdisciplinary space allows for analyzing different therapeutic alternatives and defining the most suitable options for each diagnosis, ensuring a personalized and quality treatment. In this regard, Dr. Nicolás Menso stated: "We performed an unprecedented intervention for the provincial health system: we reduced a conventional surgery to an outpatient treatment that does not require hospitalization or long recovery times." This novel treatment was performed on a 47-year-old woman with a diagnosis of Nodular Goiter, after applying very strict selection criteria that include ultrasounds, biopsies, laboratories, and clinical tests, such as the evaluation of compressive symptoms: discomfort when swallowing, changes in voice, or lumps in the neck. "The intervention was carried out as planned, a safe and ultrasound-guided procedure was achieved. The patient is recovering satisfactorily and will be discharged in a few hours," Menso concluded. In turn, Dr. Gabriel Flores expressed: "Having the possibility to carry out this type of innovative treatments for our patients, through interdisciplinary work among professionals, elevates the care and work provided at the Nuevo Hospital San Roque." The Procedure Microwave ablation is an ultrasound-guided percutaneous thermal ablation technique that uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to generate localized heat and cause controlled necrosis within the nodule, preserving the surrounding healthy tissues. MWA represents a safe and effective alternative to traditional surgery in patients with benign nodules that cause symptoms or show progressive growth. Specialists during the procedure. Photo: NA Agency (Nuevo Hospital San Roque) Meanwhile, Techno Health laboratory provided the microwave antennas to the hospital, a key contribution to facilitate the implementation of the technique in the public system and expand the community's access to state-of-the-art treatments. The incorporation of this technology marks a significant advance for the public health system, offering a modern and accessible therapeutic alternative, which means a reduction in costs and optimization of resources by avoiding the use of an operating room, hospitalization, and chronic subsequent medication. In this way, the Province of Córdoba expands its capacity, promotes equity in access to high-complexity treatments, and reaffirms its commitment to innovation and quality in health care.
