Complications after fine-needle aspiration cytology: a retrospective study of 7449 consecutive thyroid nodules

Although fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of thyroid nodules is invasive, it is simple, reliable, safe, and well-accepted by patients. Local pain and minor haematomas are the most common complications, and serious ones are rare. We report the complications associated with ultrasound-guided FNA of 7449 thyroid nodules in a series of 6323 patients (5121 women and 1202 men) treated between January 2007 and March 2016 at our institution. We reviewed their medical and imaging records, and recorded the number and type of complications, time of detection, time to recovery, management, and permanent consequences. Ten patients (0.15%) had complications, which included a focal carotid intramural haematoma that spread along the carotid wall for 7cm in a young patient, and one case of tumour seeding. No complications caused permanent problems. This series shows that ultrasound-guided FNA of thyroid lesions is safe and has few complications. However, physicians should always consider the risks and benefits for each patient before the procedure.