Featured Specialist

Dr. Erivelto Volpi

Head & Neck Surgeon · São Paulo, Brazil

Private Office, Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital

Seeing international patients

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Dr. Erivelto Volpi
  • Experience 8+ years specializing
  • Languages English, Portuguese, Spanish
  • Consultations In-person only

About

About Dr. Erivelto Volpi

For a long time, I was concerned about the distress experienced by patients with normal thyroid function and benign thyroid nodules that were progressively enlarging. The only available treatment was surgery, a procedure that invariably leads to hypothyroidism and carries risks of complications such as voice changes and a drop in calcium levels. I began researching less aggressive treatment methods and visited medical centers in Europe and Asia, regions that had been offering minimally invasive treatments since the early 2000s.

In 2018, I started treating my patients with thermal ablation for benign thyroid nodules. Building on that success, I gradually expanded the indications to include hyperfunctioning nodules, parathyroid disorders, early-stage malignant thyroid tumors, and cervical metastases. Today, after more than eight years and over a thousand treated patients, I can confidently say this minimally invasive treatment has revolutionized how we approach and treat this group of patients.

Patients should know that there are safe, scientifically proven options for treating most benign thyroid nodules and some malignant ones. Thyroid nodule ablation treats the nodule while preserving the thyroid gland, avoiding surgery and its associated risks, general anesthesia, and neck scarring. Recovery is faster, and preserving the thyroid maintains hormone production and quality of life.

Treatment

Procedures performed

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

The most widely studied thermal method for benign and toxic nodules.

Microwave ablation (MWA)

Heats faster and works well near blood flow, often used for larger nodules.

Ethanol ablation (PEI)

A targeted chemical injection that collapses cystic and select nodules without heat.

Indications

Conditions treated

Autonomously functioning nodules (AFTN)

Overactive nodules that make excess thyroid hormone, a common cause of hyperthyroidism.

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Benign thyroid nodules

Non-cancerous growths in the thyroid that can press on the neck or affect hormone levels.

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Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC)

Small, early-stage papillary thyroid cancers that are often slow-growing.

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Parathyroid adenoma

A benign growth on a parathyroid gland that raises blood calcium.

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Recurrent thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer that returns in the neck after earlier surgery or treatment.

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Thyroid cysts

Fluid-filled sacs in the thyroid that can enlarge and cause pressure.

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Selected work

Publications & Research

  1. Radiofrequency ablation and related ultrasound-guided ablation technologies for treatment of benign and malignant thyroid disease: An international multidisciplinary consensus statement of the American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery Section with the Asia Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery, Associazione Medici Endocrinologi, British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons, European Thyroid Association, Italian Society of Endocrine Surgery Units, Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology, Latin American Thyroid Society, and Thyroid Nodules Therapies Association

    Head & Neck · 2022

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  2. Editorial: Recent advances in papillary thyroid carcinoma: diagnosis and predictive factors

    Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2023

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  3. Editorial: Recent advances in papillary thyroid carcinoma: Progression, treatment and survival predictors

    Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2023

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  4. Radiofrequency Ablation of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinomas

    AACE Clinical Case Reports · 2022

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  5. Radiofrequency for benign and malign thyroid lesions

    World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2020

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    1. Radiofrequency Ablation for Solitary Autonomously Functioning Thyroid Nodules: Multicenter Study from Latin America

      Thyroid · 2025

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    2. Scholarly Dialogue on Risk to the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve with Thermal Ablation Procedures: A Reflection on Empirical Practices

      Thyroid · 2025

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    3. The clinical utility of thermal ablation procedures in thyroid nodules: Latin American Thyroid Society (LATS) surgical affairs committee expert opinion. Part 2

      Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2025

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    4. Radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules in Ecuador: a cross-sectional study

      Thyroid Research · 2024

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    5. The iceberg technique: an innovative approach for radiofrequency ablation of diving thyroid nodules

      Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology · 2023

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    6. Use of technologies in thyroid surgery: Latin American Thyroid Society Surgical Affairs Committee Expert Opinion. Part 1

      Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2025

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Global care

International Patients Welcome

English Portuguese Spanish

Planning your visit

Your imaging and reports are reviewed ahead of time.

After you return

Remote follow-up consultations once you are back home.

Treat your thyroid nodule while preserving your thyroid and maintaining your quality of life.

Dr. Erivelto Volpi

Ready to get started?

Talk to Dr. Erivelto Volpi

Send an inquiry about your condition and the RFAMD patient team will follow up about this specialist and your options. Education first, urgency never.

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