ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This systematic review examined whether radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe treatment modality for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs).</p><p><b>DATA SOURCES</b>PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database were searched for articles that (a) targeted human beings and (b) had a study population with BTNs that were confirmed by fine-needle aspiration cytology and/or core needle biopsy.</p><p><b>STUDY SELECTION</b>Thirty-two studies relating to 3409 patients were included in this systematic review.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Based on literatures, no deaths were associated with the procedure, serious complications were rare, and RFA appears to be a safe and well-tolerated treatment modality. However, a broad spectrum of complications offers insights into some undesirable complications, such as track needle seeding and Horner syndrome.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>RFA appears to be a safe and well-tolerated treatment modality for BTNs. More research is needed to characterize the complications of RFA for thyroid nodules.</p>
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Catheter Ablation , Methods , Thyroid Nodule , General Surgery , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare clinical results of two methods for the treatment of femoral neck fracture, which are cannulated screw fixation combined with percutaneous autogenous bone marrow grafting, and simple cannulated screw fixation. To investigate the curative effects of cannulated screw fixation combined with percutaneous autogenous bone marrow garfting to promote fracture healing and reducing femoral neck necrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 60 cases, which were enrolled from December 2000 to December 2008 consecutively in our hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty patients with femoral neck fractures were treated with cannulated screw fixation and percutaneous autogenous bone marrow grafting. There were 20 males and 10 females, ranging in ages from 18 to 89 years,with an average of (52.3 +/- 0.2) years. There were 13 patients with traffic accident, 3 patients with falling injuries and 14 patients with tumble. Based on the Garden classification for femoral neck fractures, 1 patient was type I, 6 patients were type II, 12 patients were type III and 11 patients were type IV. Among 30 patients in the control group, 16 patients were male and 14 patients were female, ranging in age from 18 to 91 years, with an average of (51.9 +/- 0.1) years. Twelve patients injured with traffic accident, 1 patient with falling injuries and 17 patients with tumble. Based on the Garden classification for femoral neck fractures, 5 patients were type I, 2 patients were type II,15 patients were type III, and 8 patients were type IV. Patients in the control group were treated with cannulated screw fixation only. All the patients were followed up for 2 years after operation. The fracture healing and complications were evaluated and compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average healing time was (7.1 +/- 1.2) months in the observing group and (8.0 +/- 1.4) months in the control group. The healing of femoral neck fracture occurred in 29 cases in observing group while in 24 cases in the control group contrast to femoral head necrosis occurred in 1 case in the observing group while in 6 cases in the control group. According to Harris scoring system, the good and excellent rate of the two groups had statistical difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cannulated screw fixation and percutaneous autogenous bone marrow grafting is a more efficient method for accelerating healing of femoral neck fractures and reducing femoral head necrosis.</p>