Comparison of the efficacy between lauromacrogol injection combined with microwave ablation and lauro-macrogol injection alone for cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules
CHEN Yingchao
CHEN Yi
CHENG Jing
ZHANG Wen
XIA Wenwen
SONG Huaidong
HAN Bing
Abstract：Objective Comparison of the treatment efficacy between percutaneous lauromacrogol injection(PLI)combined with microwave ablation(MWA)and PLI alone for cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules.Methods This study retrospectively analyzed 90 cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules that were treated with either PLI or PLI+MWA at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital from January 2021 to March 2025.All cases were confirmed to be benign through preoperative ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration.The size of the nodules was assessed by ultrasound at 1,3,and 6 months after treatment,and the volume reduction rate(VRR)was calculated.Results A total of 81 patients(90 nodules)were incorporated into the analysis,including 20 males(24 nodules)and 61 females(66 nodules).Among these nodules,59 received PLI treatment,whereas 31 underwent PLI+MWA.Both PLI and PLI+MWA treatments led to a significant reduction in the volume of thyroid nodules.Although the baseline nodule volumes in the PLI+MWA group were larger than those in the PLI group[(17.27±10.49)mL vs.(12.12±11.03)mL,P=0.033],there were no significant differences in nodule volumes between the two groups at 1,3,and 6 months after treatment[(4.02±7.95)mL vs.(7.47±6.93)mL;(2.98±6.31)mL vs.(2.43±2.62)mL;(3.64±8.82)mL vs.(1.09±2.10)mL;all P>0.05].Furthermore,at the 3-month[(14.77±8.48)mL vs.(8.36±9.24)mL,P=0.025]and 6-month[(14.53±6.86)mL vs.(4.79±3.99)mL,P=0.001]follow-ups,the PLI+MWA treatment group showed a significantly greater reduction in nodule volume from the baseline compared to the PLI-only group.One month after treatment,the VRR in the PLI group was higher than that in the PLI+MWA group[83.44%(66.97%,93.07%)vs.52.53%(17.62%,90.66%),P=0.011].However,six months after the operation,the VRR in the PLI+MWA group was significantly higher than that in the PLI group[83.44%(66.97%,93.07%)vs.81.68%(58.43%,96.96%),P=0.019].Moreover,six months after treatment,the cure rate(VRR>90%)in the PLI+MWA group was significantly higher than that in the PLI group(87.5%vs.33.3%,P=0.024).Conclusions Both ultrasound-guided PLI and PLI+MWA are effective therapeutic modalities for benign thyroid nodules with cystic or predominantly cystic components.Significantly,at 6 months after treatment,PLI+MWA yielded notably superior therapeutic outcomes compared to PLI monotherapy.
Keywords：thyroid nodulesmicrowave ablationpercutaneous lauromacrogol injectionvolume reduction rate
Publication Date：2026-01-25
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-28(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 320-326 )