A case of vocal cord paralysis after thyroid nodule microwave ablation

Most thyroid nodules show benign features and some of them need treatment for various reasons. Treatment options include levothyroxine, ethanol injection, laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, and thyroid surgery. The use of the microwave ablation technique presented in thyroid nodules has been reported in recent years. The wider ablation zone, shorter processing time, and prominent tumor death stand out as a targeting process, as well as creating unwanted effects such as heat sensation, pain, bleeding, fever, cough, swallowing abnormalities, and sound changes. The risk of nerve damage is very low in the microwave ablation technique. In the case of recurrent nerve paralysis, it is important to perform a laryngoscopic examination by the otolaryngologist and to call the patient for monthly outpatient clinic controls to check for temporary or permanent paralysis. In this case report, a 56-year-old woman who developed vocal cord paresis after a minimally invasive microwave ablation procedure, which has gained importance in recent years, was presented radiologically and clinically.