In 2005, this treatment method of “no surgery, no scar, function preservation and no medication”, which still sounds impossible or unbelievable to many people, has become the first one with independent intellectual property rights in the ultrasound treatment department of Changzheng Hospital of Shanghai Second Military Medical University. The Department of Ultrasound Diagnosis and Treatment of Long March Hospital of Shanghai Second Military Medical University has become the first one with independent new technology and new treatment with intellectual property rights. Looking back on the adventure, the founder of the technology, Professor Zhang Jianquan, director of the ultrasound department of Shanghai Long March Hospital, said with emotion that it all came from infinite compassion and true feelings for patients, out of the scientific attitude of practicing medicine by seeking truth from facts, but also the opportunity to favor people who are prepared to think again. After 10 years of unremitting exploration, deep accumulation and continuous improvement, the technology has now taken shape in China, and a group of ultrasound doctors and thyroid surgeons in China have learned and mastered this technology, and the results of this new technology have benefited tens of thousands of patients, and will further benefit more thyroid tumor patients! Along the way, it is not difficult to find that this group of persistent doctors, under the leadership of Prof. Zhang Jianquan, always take the actual clinical needs of patients as the direction of exploration and research, take solving the actual problems of patients as the driving force of innovation, defy difficulties, scientific exploration, steady development and active promotion, leaving a steady footprint of pathfinders in the field of ultrastructural treatment of thyroid tumors. The thyroid gland, which grows in the neck of human body, is the largest endocrine organ in human body. From the 20th week of human embryo, it has been involved in the development and growth process of human lifetime. Maintaining and protecting the normal physiological function of the thyroid gland is of great medical importance. However, in the past 10 years, thyroid diseases have become more and more prevalent worldwide, and although there are no accurate statistics available worldwide, China is undoubtedly one of the regions with a high incidence of thyroid tumors. The reasons for this are very complicated, but there are only two points, one is the increasing incidence of thyroid tumor itself, and the other is the popularity of high frequency ultrasound technology, especially in health screening, which has significantly increased the detection rate of thyroid tumor. According to a study, the incidence of thyroid tumors in the natural population is about 5% when palpation is used (i.e., touching by hand), but the incidence can be as high as 30% to 65% when modern high-grade ultrasound instruments are used. Palpation can detect lesions of more than 1 cm relatively reliably, while ultrasound can detect many millimeter lesions that are negative to palpation. There are several ways to classify thyroid diseases, for example, there are 2 main categories of thyroid diseases from the morphological point of view, namely diffuse lesions and nodular lesions; 3 main categories from the functional point of view, namely hyperfunction, hypofunction and normal function; 2 main categories from the nature of the disease, namely inflammation and tumor; 2 main categories from the nature of the tumor, namely benign tumor and malignant tumor. Overall, benign adenomas account for the majority of thyroid tumors, but thyroid cancer is also on the rise due to factors such as overexposure to radiation, increased iodine intake, heredity, and genetic mutations. For the majority of patients who do not have a medical background, the most important concern is the type and nature of their thyroid disease and which treatment should be tailored to their condition. Although there are many ways to examine thyroid disease, high frequency ultrasound is the most mainstream, objective and accurate diagnostic tool to determine whether thyroid disease is diffuse or nodular, inflammatory or tumorigenic, and to predict benign or malignant thyroid tumors through various ultrasound modalities such as contrast and elasticity. Ultrasound technology is not only a major screening and diagnostic tool for thyroid disorders, but also an important tool for guiding minimally invasive thyroid treatment. When the time began to enter the 21st century, the most discussed issue in the medical field was the direction of medical development in the 21st century, which is minimally invasive medicine. Although open surgery can treat almost all thyroid tumors, minimally invasive tools have increasingly become a research hotspot and trend in the field of thyroid surgery. Some scholars believe that most thyroid tumors are benign, and if they do not cause clinical symptoms, especially small nodules, they should be actively followed up and observed. Those who disagree believe that although the vast majority of thyroid nodules are benign, there is a potential risk of malignancy, especially in benign nodules where there is focal suspicion of malignant tissue that warrants surgical intervention, but once the nodules are pathologically confirmed to be non-malignant after surgery, patients are not without complaints when faced with sequelae such as skin scars on the neck or hoarseness. Therefore, it is obvious that research and development of new treatment methods that are effective, easy to treat, minimally invasive, do not leave scars, and do not require lifelong medication can help to resolve this controversy. Endoscopic thyroid tumor resection was once hailed as a minimally invasive treatment and was popular for a while. Because the incision is small and not in the neck, there is no trace of skin on the neck after the surgery, which is highly sought after by young patients, especially young women. It is undeniable that endoscopic resection technology has indeed set off a wave of minimally invasive treatment of thyroid tumors, especially benign adenomas, around the world, bringing cosmetic results to many patients while treating the disease well. However, more and more surgeons have realized that this surgical approach only achieves cosmetic results and is not a true minimally invasive treatment. In the face of the increasing number of patients with thyroid tumors and the constant complaints from patients, the development of truly minimally invasive treatment methods has become a pressing issue for doctors. Due to the rapid development of modern ultrasound imaging technology, ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration therapy has been given a rare opportunity to develop and has become an outstanding representative of minimally invasive treatment. In the field of minimally invasive treatment of thyroid tumors, anhydrous alcohol injection sclerotherapy used to play a major role and has good efficacy for small nodules and simple cystic nodules; however, because the diffusion of alcohol is affected by the internal fiber separation and tissue density of thyroid nodules, there are often defects of uneven diffusion and inconsistent sclerosis of ethanol for larger nodules and nodules with complex internal physical properties. Poorly controlled flow direction and easy leakage to the perinodular area leading to chemical adhesions are also serious shortcomings of anhydrous alcohol. Along with the introduction and rise of thermal ablation means such as microwave, radiofrequency and laser, anhydrous alcohol sclerotherapy has been on the decline. Heat is a physics-based energy, but it is also often accompanied by chemical reaction processes. The use of heat energy to treat disease was better attempted as early as around 400 BC by Hippocrates, the founder of Western medicine, an ancient Greek physician and great philosopher, such as the use of fire roasting, immersion in warm water baths and other more primitive methods. The great development and progress of modern physical science and technology and electronic technology have made heat therapy gain a new and important position in clinical medicine, especially for the treatment of tumors, changing the situation that chemotherapy and radiotherapy unified the world of non-surgical treatment of tumors. Among them, microwave, radiofrequency and laser are the main heat generating media. Usually, the heat therapy of tumor is called thermal ablation therapy, so there are microwave ablation therapy, radiofrequency ablation therapy and laser ablation therapy. Today, people are no longer strangers to microwaves, as almost every family has a microwave oven. It goes without saying that microwave ovens are useful for heating and heating up and cooking food. When microwaves are propagated in items rich in moisture, microwave energy can be converted into heat, and this heat occurs from within the object, so it is also known as endogenous heat, which is different from heating with a stove fire, which is known as exogenous heat, warming food through heat conduction, which is not only thermally inefficient, but also the surface of the item tends to scorch. The characteristics of microwave heat generation are cleverly applied to the treatment of tumors, and have played a great role in liver tumors, lung tumors, kidney tumors, uterine fibroids and other diseases, making heat therapy, an extremely ancient treatment method, return to the ranks of healing and saving people with the support of modern technology, just like the Chinese medicine’s “ancient prescriptions to cure today’s diseases (- in the words of Qiu Peiran, a national medical master). “. However, the use of microwaves in the treatment of thyroid tumors started late. 10 years ago, with reflection on the shortcomings of anhydrous alcohol sclerotherapy for thyroid tumors, Professor Zhang Jianquan decisively terminated the alcohol therapy program, but had to find better alternative treatments to address the treatment needs of thyroid tumor patients. However, there was no precedent of microwave ablation of thyroid tumors in the world, and more seriously, there was no ready-made microwave ablation device for thyroid tumors. With the idea and spirit of breaking the rules, pioneering and creating, Professor Zhang Jianquan quickly searched for relevant professional partners, based on the anatomical parameters of the thyroid gland and the experience of microwave ablation of liver tumors, and with the technical support of domestic well-known medical microwave research and development manufacturers, scientific calculations and repeated tests were carried out, and finally, in less than half a year, he successfully developed a microwave ablation device for thyroid tumors with independent intellectual property rights. In less than half a year, we successfully developed a microwave ablation needle for thyroid tumor with our own intellectual property rights, named Thy-ablation, and obtained the trademark registration license approved by the State Trademark Administration. With the microwave ablation “weapon” available, we must also be familiar with the special “terrain” of the thyroid gland, otherwise it may become difficult to “use” the place, and even cause trouble. The thyroid gland is located in a small space in the neck, which is the throat of the body, crowded with trachea, esophagus, large blood vessels, rich nerves and two major endocrine glands, the thyroid gland and who all take the border. In the world of thyroid surgery, even very experienced surgeons are wary of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands because the chances of damaging them during thyroid surgery are relatively high, and the consequences are serious and difficult to correct. So, in such an important and crowded pivotal point, how to “travel with the needle” and “walk the needle to drive away the disease” requires clear positioning, stable needle holding, precise puncture, dexterous needle movement, reasonable needle setting and other techniques and skills, but more importantly, a calm and steady The more important thing, however, is a calm and steady mind, which must keep the concentration and calmness without interference. With this goal in mind, Prof. Zhang Jianquan led his team back to the anatomy department of the Second Military Medical University to seek out his former teacher for an in-depth review of neck anatomy on the cadaver, meticulously observing each layer of structure and understanding each structure that must be crossed during thyroid puncture in conjunction with ultrasound images and how to avoid important structures. After returning to the clinic, we developed a strict range of indications for microwave ablation of thyroid tumors, a scientific and rational treatment process, strictly controlled complication prevention measures, and a four-level comprehensive evaluation system, focusing our work on the preparation stage before treatment, with the core of preoperative preparation, intraoperative operation, and postoperative evaluation standardized one-stop service, and paying attention to the individual characteristics of each patient. We have established innovative safety measures such as “liquid isolation method”, “thermal blocking blood flow coarse needle biopsy method” and “radiofrequency electrical stimulation acupuncture point anesthesia method” to put the safety of patients’ lives at the The safety of the patient’s life is the highest priority. Under the premise of highly emphasizing safety, we strive to improve the treatment effect, so that minimally invasive treatment can really give full play to the advantages of minimally invasive treatment, and integrate new technologies such as three-dimensional ultrasound, ultrasonography and elastic ultrasound into the evaluation system of thyroid microwave ablation treatment in a timely manner, so as to realize that the evidence guides the treatment work and the theory guides the treatment practice, thus resolving the risks, reducing the twists and turns, enhancing the science, and winning the patients’ Satisfaction and praise of patients. Facing the initial success, Prof. Zhang Jianquan and his team have never been complacent, but have been striving for improvement, constantly reflecting on the shortcomings of their work, seeking improvements and perfections, successively improving the microwave ablation treatment equipment, improving and developing the ZYX series of thyroid-specific radiofrequency electrode needles suitable for small thyroid tumors and tiny metastases in the cervical lymph nodes. In order to enable more patients to enjoy the benefits of the new technology, Prof. Zhang Jianquan has applied to hold 16 national courses on radiofrequency and microwave ablation of thyroid and parathyroid glands, held seminars, and delivered many lectures at international and national conferences over the past 10 years, and has directly guided and helped more than 60 hospitals to establish this technology. He has directly guided and helped more than 60 hospitals to establish this technology, and has jointly established interventional treatment centers with many medical institutions to vigorously promote the popularization of this technology in China. So far, he has completed more than 8,000 cases alone and guided the trainees to complete more than 2,000 cases of benign thyroid tumors, primary thyroid cancer, recurrence of cervical lymph nodes after surgical resection of thyroid cancer, and parathyroid tumors, achieving a one-time completion rate of more than 99% for thyroid tumors and proposing the concept and technical plan of staged ablation of high-risk tumors. As a result of following the strict operation specification, carefully implementing the operation, always treating each patient as the first patient, and maintaining a modest and cautious attitude at all times, there has not been a single case of laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland injury so far, and the dynamic follow-up confirmed that all nodules underwent complete coagulation and necrosis after ablation, with 100% efficiency and 100% absorption rate of necrotic area, only the speed of absorption varies from person to person. Among the patients treated by Prof. Zhang, the youngest was only 3.5 years old and the oldest was 94 years old. Thermal ablation of thyroid tumors is a reliable and preferred option from the perspectives of minimally invasive, cosmetic, safety and effectiveness. At present, the following types of thyroid tumors have been confirmed to be suitable for microwave and radiofrequency ablation treatment: first, benign nodules: thyroid adenoma, nodular goiter, colloid thyroid retention (also called cyst), mass-like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; second, malignant nodules: thyroid cancer, recurrent thyroid cancer, metastatic or recurrent cancer in the lymph nodes of the neck, thyroid lymphoma. Professor Zhang Jianquan often uses the family motto of Fan Qiu, the chancellor of the Northern Song Dynasty, “Do not worry about people not knowing, but about not learning” as a warning! With the popularization of microwave and radiofrequency ablation technology for thyroid tumors, more and more people come to the ultrasound department of Long March Hospital to observe the surgery, study the theory and exchange experience. After a long time, some people respect Professor Zhang as the “first person” of microwave and radiofrequency ablation treatment of thyroid tumor in China! Faced with such comments, Professor Zhang always maintains a high degree of modesty and never easily agrees with them. He believes that there is no end to learning and there is no real first in the world, only to be sincere and dedicated, to do a good job in the diagnosis and treatment of each patient in order to strive for no fault, it is already very difficult to reduce the fault. Every time he gives a lecture, he always takes some time to introduce to the audience the heroes behind the scenes of microwave and radiofrequency ablation treatment for thyroid tumors. What remains in his memory is the busy work of his peers and disciples who followed him in his academic research and treated his patients with care regardless of the gains and losses!