What is nPULSE Ablation REALLY Like? Natalie's Honest Experience
SAVE YOUR THYROID with Jennifer Holkem
From a Dead-End Diagnosis to a Breakthrough Treatment: Natalie’s nsPFA Story
What do you do when a painful, expensive biopsy leaves you with no answers, and the only path forward seems to be surgery? For Natalie Suarez, the answer was to take control. Her journey with a thyroid nodule was filled with frustrating dead ends, but her refusal to accept surgery as the only option led her to nanosecond pulsed field ablation (nsPFA)—a cutting-edge, non-surgical treatment that shrank her nodule, resolved her symptoms, and, most importantly, saved her thyroid.
If you’ve ever felt lost or unheard in your healthcare journey, Natalie’s story is a powerful reminder that patient advocacy can change everything.
Welcome back to Save Your Thyroid with Jennifer Holkem, where we explore the latest advancements in thyroid health and patient-centered care.
Most adults have thyroid nodules. In fact, up to 70–80% of adults will develop one during their lifetime. And yet, for many, the only options presented are “watch and wait”… or surgery.
But what if there were another way? A method that doesn’t involve heat, doesn’t require an incision, and preserves your thyroid — along with the delicate nerves and structures surrounding it?
🎧 In today’s episode, we’ll learn about:
Navigating a Difficult Diagnosis: How to handle confusing biopsy results and the pressure to undergo surgery.
The Power of Patient Advocacy: Natalie’s journey of researching alternatives and taking control of her treatment path.
A Patient’s Experience with nsPFA: A step-by-step account of the procedure, recovery, and life-changing results of this non-surgical treatment.
Meet Our Guest: Natalie Suarez
Natalie’s journey began, as it does for many, with an incidental finding on a routine CT scan. The discovery of thyroid nodules led her down a path of multiple biopsies with varying results, causing years of uncertainty. After a move to Florida, a new scan revealed that one nodule was now compressing her trachea, explaining a persistent cough she had dismissed as reflux or allergies.
This discovery prompted a new round of testing, but this experience was different. Instead of a simple in-office procedure, she faced a highly medicalized, uncomfortable, and expensive hospital biopsy. The frustration peaked when the sample sent for Afirma molecular testing—the key to determining her path forward—came back degraded and unusable.
With no clear answers, her surgeon presented what felt like the only remaining option: a hemithyroidectomy, which could likely lead to a full thyroidectomy down the road.
Faced with the prospect of losing a vital organ, Natalie became her own best advocate. "Taking out that thyroid was the last possible scenario on your list," she said. "There had to be alternatives." Her own research into the importance of the thyroid and the difficult journeys of many post-thyroidectomy patients solidified her resolve. That search is what led her to discover the world of non-surgical treatments and, eventually, to Dr. Ralph Tufano.
Natalie still needed another biopsy to know if she was a candidate for any nonsurgical procedure; so Dr. Tufano’s colleague Dr. Baldo was able to perform this right in the office. After her results for one nodule were indeterminate, they were sent for Afirma testing — which, thankfully, had a benign result.
After learning about her options (RFA and nsPFA, now called nPULSE), Natalie chose nsPFA—a non-thermal treatment that uses ultrashort electrical pulses to target nodule tissue while sparing healthy surrounding structures.
The procedure itself was a world away from her previous biopsy experience. She recalls how Dr. Tufano carefully explained every step, ensuring she felt informed and cared for throughout the 20-minute treatment. The recovery was remarkably swift. "I felt better right after the procedure," she shared, a sentiment echoed by her powerful endorsement: "I would do it again."
For Natalie, the result was more than just a shrunken nodule; it was a validation of her intuition and hard work. She avoided a life-altering surgery, preserved her body's natural function, and regained her quality of life without a single incision. She encourages others in her position to dig deeper, ask questions, and explore every available option. "I would take it over surgery any day," she affirmed.
Natalie’s story is a testament to the power of patient empowerment. It highlights a critical shift in thyroid care—one where informed patients and innovative physicians are working together to find less invasive, more personalized solutions that prioritize long-term well-being.
Want to hear Natalie’s whole story? Watch the full episode below!
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Visit my new podcast website, SaveYourThyroidwithJen.com!
What is this podcast and blog all about?
To my subscribers, welcome back! If you’re new, welcome to Save Your Thyroid with Jennifer Holkem, a podcast and blog all about thyroid nodules. For the past 6 years, I have advocated for fellow patients suffering with this very common condition.
Thyroid nodules impact 70% of adults in their lifetime, and the standard of care is surgical removal of half or all of the gland. But in recent years, safe and effective non-surgical treatment options have become available.
In this podcast and blog, I sit down with patients and physicians to discuss life with thyroid nodules, treatment options, and how to save the thyroid whenever possible.
Key Takeaways:
Natalie's journey began with an incidental finding on a CT scan, leading to years of uncertainty.
A frustrating hospital biopsy resulted in a degraded, unusable sample from molecular testing, leaving her without answers.
Faced with the sole recommendation of a thyroidectomy, Natalie became her own advocate and researched alternatives.
Her search led her to nanosecond pulsed field ablation (nsPFA), a non-thermal, non-surgical treatment option.
The procedure with Dr. Tufano was quick and her recovery was swift, with a significant improvement in symptoms right away.
Natalie’s story is a powerful testament to the importance of patient advocacy, second opinions, and exploring all treatment options before committing to surgery.
For more stories like Natalie’s, and to explore non-surgical thyroid nodule treatments like nsPFA and RFA, be sure to subscribe!
AND, don’t forget to visit my new website:
There, you can also sign up for personalized one-on-one patient navigation—because no one should feel alone on their thyroid journey.
Watch my previous interview on nPULSE ablation with Dr. Ralph P. Tufano!
Connect with Dr. Ralph P. Tufano:
https://firstphysiciansgroup.com/doctors/tufano-ralph-p-md/
Learn more about nsPFA:
www.pulsebiosciences.com/patients
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Find a physician, explore treatment options, and join our patient community here:
Disclaimer: None of the statements made in this or any other blog/video by "Its me Jen again" should be considered medical advice.
The goal of this podcast and blog
I seek to provide data, resources, and expert opinions on the topic of thyroid nodules, and make it accessible to patients. When I was first looking for thermal ablation treatment, everything that I read was physician-facing material. It was very hard for me to understand. This material is meant to help patients understand what's going on in their thyroid gland and what an important gland it is. If you can keep your thyroid intact, that's going to help you live a longer, healthier life, and preserve your quality of life. Thanks for reading this far today! — Jen