PODCAST EPISODES

In this conversation, Dr. Richard Harding discusses the advancements in thyroid nodule treatment, focusing on two primary techniques: Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) and Nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation (NSPFA). He explains the mechanisms, benefits, and patient experiences associated with each method, emphasizing the safety and efficacy of NSPFA, especially in delicate areas near critical structures like the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The discussion also covers patient feedback, ideal candidates for each procedure, and the future of these technologies in mainstream thyroid care.

In this episode, we have a reversal of roles. Host, Jennifer Holkem shares her journey as a thyroid patient, emphasizing the importance of patient advocacy and education. Interviewed by guest host, Dr. John Russell, they discuss the challenges patients face within the healthcare system, the significance of informed decision-making, and the emotional aspects of navigating treatment options. The conversation highlights the need for trust between patients and healthcare providers, the role of alter...

What Patients Need to Know with Dr. Ian Orozco Toxic Thyroid Nodules: RFA vs. RAI—What’s the Difference? In this episode, endocrinologist Dr. Ian Orozco joins Jennifer Holkem to break down the two main non-surgical treatment options for toxic thyroid nodules: radioactive iodine (RAI) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Learn how these treatments work, who they’re right for, and what every patient needs to know before choosing a path. If you've been told surgery is your only option, this episode is a must-watch. 🔹 What is a toxic thyroid nodule? 🔹 RFA vs. RAI: key differences, benefits, and risks 🔹 How to preserve thyroid function and avoid unnecessary surgery 🔹 Real-world considerations: lifestyle, fertility, and recovery 🔹 Why the experience of your provider matters

Today, we’re talking about how new 3D ultrasound technology is giving doctors a clearer, more accurate view of the thyroid and helping patients get better answers faster. Joining me is Dr. Alireza Falahati — a Mayo Clinic–trained, board-certified endocrinologist with a specialized focus on the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid and parathyroid tumors. He was the first U.S. physician to implement the advanced 3D Ultrasound System by PIUR Imaging.

In this episode, Dr. Ralph P. Tufano discusses the innovative non-thermal treatment for thyroid nodules known as Nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation (nsPFA). This technique offers a safe and effective alternative to traditional thermal ablation methods, focusing on preserving healthy thyroid tissue while effectively reducing the size of benign nodules. The conversation covers the mechanism of action, patient selection criteria, efficacy, and the overall patient experience during and after the procedure. Dr. Tufano emphasizes the importance of patient advocacy and the need for ongoing research in this evolving field of thyroid care.

In this episode of Save Your Thyroid with Jennifer Holkem, Jen is joined by Dr. Jules Aljammal to discuss the impact of thyroid nodules and the innovative non-surgical treatment option of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). They explore the nature of toxic thyroid nodules, the symptoms they cause, and the various treatment options available, including medication, surgery, and radioactive iodine. The episode features 2 patient testimonials highlighting their experiences with RFA treatment, emphasizing its effectiveness and the importance of patient choice in treatment options. Dr. Aljammal also shares exciting news about opening a new practice in Washington state, expanding access to thyroid care.

Today's guest is Dr. Shuchie Jaggi, a leading endocrinologist, co-director of the interdisciplinary thyroid program at Lenox Hill Hospital (NY), and a specialist in advanced thyroid imaging and minimally invasive treatments.Here’s what we’ll be covering today: ✅ The role of neck imaging in diagnosing and guiding treatment ✅ How ethanol ablation works and why it’s ideal for thyroid cysts ✅ The science behind radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and its growing use in clinical practice ✅ How these two techniques compare—when to choose one over the other ✅ The future of thyroid care and what’s on the horizon for nonsurgical intervention

Today, we’re joined by epigenetic expert Susan Robbins, a Precision Health coach and award-winning leader in genetic optimization. With a no-nonsense approach, Susan blends cutting-edge science with real-life experience to help you unlock your full potential. She’s battled autoimmune issues, Lyme Disease, and the stress of law enforcement, making her insights both personal and powerful. In today’s episode, we explore how DNA testing can illuminate the mysteries of both general and thyroid health and empower you to take control of your well-being!

Today's episode is a bit different, and I think you'll love it. We’re diving into epigenetics—how your lifestyle influences your genetic expression. This topic is key to understanding root causes and optimizing lifestyle interventions, particularly for thyroid patients. Today, I'll introduce you to my new friend, Susan Robbins. Susan is an expert in epigenetic human performance coaching and host of the podcast “Everyday Epigenetics: Raw, Real, Relatable.” She’s a Level 2 Certified Apeiron Zoh DNA coach and a Precision Health Alliance (ph360/Shae) coach. Since 2015, Susan has been helping people optimize their health and was even named 2023 PHA Coach of the Year. She previously worked with TruDiagnostics to interpret epigenetic age test results for clients globally. In this episode, I share my recent health journey, focusing on my latest experience with perimenopause and low T3 levels (active thyroid hormone). We discuss epigenetics and how lifestyle choices impact genetic expression, …

Denielle shares her experience with treating a thyroid nodule using microwave ablation (MWA). After experiencing severe hair and weight loss, she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and a thyroid nodule about eight years ago. Weighing 70 kg, she dropped to 45 kg due to the condition. Denielle chose a non-surgical option primarily for aesthetic reasons, as she had previously developed keloids from surgery, and also due to a friend's experience with lifelong medication after a thyroidectomy. She learned about non-surgical treatments through the Save Your Thyroid FB community and decided on microwave ablation, which was the only applicable procedure for her case. The procedure took about 20 minutes, with minimal pain, and she experienced only slight discomfort afterward, quickly resuming her normal activities. Six months post-procedure, the nodule had reduced by 81%, from 6 cm to about 1.6 cm, and she is now euthyroid, no longer needing thyroid medication. Denielle expresses gratitude for…

Today’s guest is Dr. Dipan Desai, an otolaryngologist at ENT Associates in Clearwater, Florida. He completed residency training at Parkland Memorial Hospital and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and later pursued fellowship training in Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, gaining expertise in radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and scarless thyroid/parathyroid surgery. Today, in addition to treating the full spectrum of ENT disorders, is now one of the first physicians in Florida to offer these innovative procedures. His patient care philosophy is deeply rooted in compassion, respect, and open communication. He believes that personalized and collaborative medicine is the key to creating lasting improvements in his patients’ health and well-being. With this understanding, he aims to work together with patients to find the treatment that is best suited to their individual needs.

Kathy shares her experience with thyroid cryoablation, a non-surgical procedure that can be used to treat benign and cancerous thyroid nodules, as well as other tumors throughout the body. Kathy is a passionate advocate for preserving the thyroid gland, and is an active member of the Save Your Thyroid patient advocacy community. She is also working locally in the UK to spread the word about thyroid-preserving treatment options. She emphasizes the need for patients to do their own research and advocate for themselves.

Harrold had multiple thyroid nodules, and they were causing him issues with his voice. He sought out thyroid RFA from Dr. Luisa Leal and Dr. John Interlandi of New Horizon Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic in Nashville, Tennessee. This video documents Harrold's thyroid-saving treatment that allowed him to avoid surgery. What will be the final outcome? Watch the video to find out! Originally from Columbia, Dr. Leal opened the doors to her practice in 2016, offering the local Spanish-speaking population access to a bilingual specialist in state-of-the-art diabetes care. Dr. John Interlandi, a formerly retired endocrinologist with an extensive medical background in the Nashville area, came out of retirement to join Dr. Leal in her pursuit of providing thyroid RFA in 2021.

Today’s guest is Dr. Elizabeth Cottrill is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. There, she also serves as the residency Program Director and the Surgical Director of the Jefferson Thyroid and Parathyroid Center. Her research focuses on cancer diagnostics, clinical outcomes, and patient education. Her clinical practice focuses on the treatment and management of patients with thyroid and parathyroid diseases, and she has a special interest in advanced and aggressive forms of thyroid cancer as well as non-surgical ablative techniques for benign thyroid nodules.

Today's guest is Dr. Rebecca Warren. At 19, Dr. Rebecca was diagnosed with follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma and had a complete thyroidectomy with high dose radiation. After having her thyroid removed, she thought the problem was fixed, until a few years down the road when she began to suffer from hormone issues that doctors would write off because her labs all looked normal. She suffered with depression, anxiety, weight loss resistance, and period issues with no help on how to get better. It wasn't until she decided to draw a line in the sand that no doctor was going to know more about her body than her, did her health transform. She has spent the last two decades studying the literature, implementing protocols, using the most up-to-date functional labs and testing, and ancestral tools like fasting and diet variation to not only take back her health, but to help thousands of men and women avoid losing their thyroid and for those that had their thyroid removed, actually h…

Today’s guest is Dr. Antoine Eskander, a head and neck oncologist and reconstructive surgeon at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Head and Neck Disease Site Lead at the Odette Cancer Centre, and Chief of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Eskander is an internationally recognized researcher in several areas, including head and neck cancers, health services research, clinical epidemiology, and quality improvement. His research interest include topics such as access to care, disparities in care, adherence to guidelines, volume-outcome associations, and quality metrics. In today’s discussion, we explore the balance between patient empowerment and the anxiety caused by incidental nodule discoveries, the importance of individualized care and shared decision-making, the significance of better outcomes at high volume treatment centers, and the value in choosing the right physician. We also discuss thyroid RFA and the benefits of de-escala…

Today’s guest is Dr. Jonathon Russell. After training at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr Russell trained further at Johns Hopkins before spending almost 10 years there. He became the Chief of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery at Johns Hopkins and was the director of the Thyroid Tumor Center. During that time, he was the first surgeon to complete transoral robotic surgery for thyroid cancer, led the largest series of transoral surgery in the West, and was the first group of Head and Neck Surgeons to offer RadioFrequency Ablation (RFA). He is the current president of the North American Society of Interventional Thyroidology (NASIT). In 2024, Dr Russell founded the Russell Center for Endocrine Health, where he continues to innovate as he offers each patient a personalized plan of care. Today’s conversation centers around the topic of thyroid RFA and insurance coverage. Specifically, a CPT billing code that has been created by the CMS. For the past 5 years, many patients have been eagerly awaiting…

Have you seen our new patient education website? SaveYourThyroid.org has been overhauled and now includes even more resources on nonsurgical treatment options for thyroid cysts, nodules and cancers!

Today’s guest is Professor Saim Yilmaz, an interventional radiologist practicing in Istanbul and Antalya, Turkey. Throughout his 40 year medical career, Professor Yılmaz has worked exclusively in this unique specialty, treating patients with multiple image-guided, minimally invasive treatments. He is a pioneer of nonsurgical thyroid treatments. In 2018, Prof. Yilmaz founded Varisson Interventional Radiology Clinics where he leads a team of 5 doctors and 19 staff. He speaks English, French and German. In today’s conversation, we will focus primarily on 2 nonsurgical thyroid procedures for the treatment of thyroid nodules and cancers: Cryoablation and Embolization.

Today’s guess is Dr. Jesse Pasternak, an academic surgeon and patient advocate. He is the chief of Endocrine Surgery in the Division of General Surgery at the University Health Network and Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.  His career’s focus is to use up-to-date data to push innovation in the treatment of surgical endocrinology.  He is responsible for bringing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of thyroid nodules to Canada.  He is chair of the research committee at the American Thyroid Association and currently runs a trial to treat small thyroid cancers with RFA.  He hopes to gain an understanding for cancer outcomes but likely more importantly, the effect of treatment and cancer worry on quality of life and survivorship.  He has 3 young kids, all of whom learned where the thyroid was before mastering the head, shoulders, knees and toes.

Dr. David Goldenberg, a head and neck surgeon at Penn State Health, emphasizes that RFA is just one tool in the toolbox and that the decision to use it depends on the patient's specific needs and circumstances. He discusses the process of determining candidacy for thyroid RFA and the importance of thorough evaluation and patient education. He also emphasizes the importance of choosing an experienced and skilled physician for RFA procedures. Lastly, Dr. Goldenberg shares his perspective on the term 'provider' and why he believes it is demeaning to physicians.

Today’s guest returns to the podcast for a third time, Dr. Emad Kandil, an endocrine surgeon with a passion for helping patients shrink thyroid nodules and cancers using various nonsurgical, thyroid-sparing techniques. Dr. Kandil is the Chief of General, Endocrine and Oncological Surgery at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans, Louisianna. In today's discussion, we'll cover topics such as his adoption of microwave ablation, thyroid embolization, the benefits of combination therapy, an...

Dr. Ralph Tufano and Dr. Juan Camacho collaborate to bring multiple thyroid nodule treatment options to Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System. These include: Thyroid Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Echolaser Ablation (LA/PLA) Microwave Ablation (MWA) Cryoablation Thyroid Arterial Embolization (TAE) Traditional thyroid surgery Scarless thyroid surgery (and just added) Nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation (nsPFA) This episode is a great resource to give general guidance on when each of the nonsurgical tr...

Dr. Aaron Rockoff shares his journey to becoming an endocrinologist and his passion for building relationships with patients. He discusses his training in radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for thyroid nodules and the importance of ultrasound in the procedure. Dr. Rockoff explains the steps of the RFA process, including patient preparation, anesthesia, and the actual ablation. He emphasizes the need for post-procedure care, such as icing and avoiding certain medications. Dr. Rockoff also welcomes bot...