To compare differences in systemic stress responses between ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation and traditional open surgery for benign thyroid nodules.

One hundred and eight patients with benign thyroid nodules enrolled into Panzhihua Central Hospital between February and September 2016 were randomized to microwave ablation group (n=57) or traditional open surgery group (n=51). Body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, plasma 1evels of cortiso1 (COR), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) were recorded preoperatively (baseline), 8, 24, and 48 h following surgery.

Body temperature was higher in open surgery group (37.6±0.35) ℃ than microwave ablation group (36.5±0.45)℃ 24 h postoperatively (t=2.276, P =0.025). WBC on 24 h and 48 h postoperatively was respectively higher in open surgery group than microwave ablation group [(11.26±2.25)×10⁹/L vs (7.41±1.25)×10⁹/L, t=2.241, P=0.031; (10.35±1.42)×10⁹/L vs (6.28±1.51)×10⁹/L, t=2.806, P=0.004]. VAS scrore, hs-CRP, IL-6 and COR were all respectively higher in open surgery group than microwave ablation group on 8, 24 and 48 h postoperatively (t=2.685, 3.172, 3.704, P=0.007, 0.002, 0.000; t=2.990, 3.560, 3.967, P=0.002, 0.001, 0.000; t=2.405, 2.495, 2.763, P=0.016, 0.013, 0.006; t=2.357, 2.647, 2.924, P=0.019, 0.008, 0.003).

There is less systemic stress response after microwave ablation than traditional open surgery for benign thyroid nodules. Microwave ablation is characterized as minimal invasion for benign thyroid nodules.