SantiagoHEMA
Specialized Hospital for Advanced Medicine: labs, cardiology and the procedure in the same building, fifteen minutes from the airport. The most practical choice if you fly in.
Thyroid specialist
We explain thyroid nodules, goiter and thyroid cancer, and the possibility of treating them without surgery when the case allows it: what your report says, what the real options are, and who can help you weigh them.
Your situation
Almost everyone arrives by one of these four paths.
- A noduleA nodule was found.It almost always appears as an incidental finding, on a study ordered for another reason. The report includes a classification, the TIRADS, which deserves a proper explanation.
- A surgeryYou were told you need surgery.It is the best-known option and, in many cases, the right one; but it is not always the only one.
- A second lookYou want another opinion.To understand what you really have, with another look at the same studies. If you already have your ultrasound or biopsy, you can send them to us.
- A third optionYou discover there is another way.Treating the nodule while keeping the gland, when the case allows it.
The first question
Most nodules are benign, but every one of them should be studied.
Between 5 and 15 % can be, and from the outside they cannot be told apart. That is why the first step is to study it, with an ultrasound and, if needed, a biopsy.
- 9 of 10thyroid nodules are benign.Figures quoted by Dr. Jacobo in the newspaper Hoy, May 2026.
- 5 to 15 %can be cancer, and only the biopsy says so.Same source. Yours is assessed with your report, at the consultation.
Who treats what
Are you looking for an endocrinologist?
Probably yes: it is what most patients look for after a finding in the thyroid. It helps to know what each specialist does.
The endocrinologist manages the hormone: studies whether the gland works too much or too little, and regulates it. That follow-up belongs to them.
When what you have is a nodule that grows, presses or worries you, you also need someone who knows how to treat it. Sometimes you need both.
The options
There are three options: watching, operating, or treating the nodule from the inside.
- Watch and waitMonitoring is also a medical decision.If the nodule is small, benign and causes no symptoms, surveillance by ultrasound is often what is indicated.
- SurgeryWhen there is cancer, surgery is usually what is indicated.It remains the right option for many patients, and it is performed by a surgical oncologist. In papillary cancer of one centimeter or less, the 2025 international guidelines also contemplate close monitoring or ablation: if your case meets the conditions, we explain it and decide together with you.
- Radiofrequency ablationThe nodule is shrunk from the inside and the thyroid stays in place.It is an option that is still little known: the gland keeps making your hormones, which is what sustains your quality of life. It does not suit every case, and that is assessed at the evaluation.
Which of the three applies to you is decided by what your ultrasound and biopsy show, and that is reviewed calmly at the consultation.
Before and after
This nodule was treated without surgery.
Radiofrequency ablation treats the nodule with a fine electrode guided by ultrasound, under local anesthesia and with same-day discharge, and it leaves no scar. Before the treatment, this patient's nodule was visible to the naked eye; five months later, it no longer shows.
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Radiofrequency ablation
Your nodule may be treated without surgery.
Radiofrequency ablation shrinks the nodule from the inside, under local anesthesia, with no scar and same-day discharge. The videos are in Spanish.
Thyroid ablation
This treatment suits some nodules, not every one.
There are established criteria, and they are what we will assess with you at your first consultation.
Probably yes, if
a biopsy confirmed the nodule is benign and, in addition,
- it measures more than two centimeters
- it causes discomfort when swallowing or speaking
- it is visible on your neck, and that affects you
- it has grown on follow-up scans
Probably not, if
- the ultrasound shows high-risk features
- the nodule is mostly fluid, because then the first option is a different, simpler technique
If you have a cancer diagnosis
In a very small papillary carcinoma with no nodes, the guidelines contemplate ablation in selected patients. If the cancer is larger than one centimeter or has spread, surgery is what is indicated, and Dr. Jacobo performs it himself.
Who treats you
Dr. Jacobo operates on the thyroid and also treats it without surgery.
He trained in general surgery in the country and in surgical oncology in Mexico. In 2023 he began with radiofrequency ablation, and in 2024 he refined it at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, the hospital where the technique was developed.
In May 2026 he shared the technique with other physicians in the country, in a training in radiofrequency ablation of thyroid nodules endorsed by the Dominican Society of Surgical Oncology.
Google reviews
5.046 reviewsSee on GooglePatient reviews.
Thyroid and cancer surgery patients, and patients from abroad, tell how their experience with the doctor was.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the doctor for being my guide and support during one of the most difficult times of my life: my thyroid cancer treatment. From…
Yaskira PerezMay 2026Dr. Jacobo is highly professional, skilled, and incredibly kind. He takes the time to explain every step and every procedure, ensuring his patients have no unanswered…
Rosemil OvalleFebruary 2025Dr. Jacobo is an excellent professional with world-class attention to detail. When treating a close relative with thyroid surgery, at a leading center in the field, he…
Anthony TejadaJanuary 2025Wonderful doctor. I had no idea I'd been suffering from thyroid problems for some time, and you gave me an accurate diagnosis that changed my life. Thank you so much…
Ana AguileraJanuary 2025I had a total thyroidectomy performed by Dr. Jacobo. It was a difficult surgery, but I came out of the operating room feeling excellent. Dr. Jacobo loves what he does…
Sheila Sabrina Calderon cuelloJune 2025I am incredibly grateful for the care I received from Dr. Jacobo. I initially found him through a Google search while looking for alternative treatment options for my…
Kate LockhartMarch 2026My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer. Amidst our worry, we chose Dr. Jacobo because I was struck by his genuine and selfless interest in my husband's diagnosis. He…
Nidia AcostaSeptember 2025Dr. Joan is a physician with outstanding professional training and a true calling: compassionate, approachable, and always attentive, not only to his patients but also to…
Andi AlmanzarSeptember 2025I recently underwent surgery by Dr. Joan Jacobo, and there's nothing better than the safety and peace of mind for a patient and family, ensuring their health is in the…
Omar Encarnación UlloaSeptember 2025An excellent doctor, my dear Dr. Jacobo. After seeing many doctors without a clear answer about what was wrong with me, I finally found Dr. Jacobo. With great care and…
Alexandra Fontana ReynosoJanuary 2025I want to express my sincere gratitude to the doctor for his excellent work and dedication. From the very first moment, he instilled confidence, security, and a human…
Josmeiry PaulinoMarch 2026Dr. Joan Jacobo studied and performed a brain scan for my mother, and the experience was much more bearable thanks to his wonderful professional and, above all, humane…
Anibelka MenaApril 2024I want to highlight Dr. Joan's excellent service, experience, and dedication to his patients. Personally, I want to emphasize that few doctors dedicate the time, care…
Massiel LizardoJuly 2025Dr. Jacobo is a specialist who inspires great confidence and security. He knows how to soothe the anxiety that comes with having to see him! He's a doctor at the…
Jenny Guzman De GonzalezApril 2024Dr. Joan Javier Jacobo is an excellent oncology professional. He is highly qualified and recommended by other oncologists in the country. I wholeheartedly recommend him.…
Angelica MejiaAugust 2024Dr. Joan Javier Jacobo is an excellent professional and physician with a genuine and compassionate nature that is highly effective for his patients. I, his patient for…
Mariela Jiminian CamiloApril 2024An excellent doctor, dedicated to his patients, providing exceptional care with love and dedication. You are a doctor who inspires confidence; all patients should have an…
Jisselle PaulinoFebruary 2025An excellent professional, ethical, committed, and approachable. A doctor who, in addition to being highly qualified, provides his patients with peace of mind…
Mercedes RosarioJune 2025My dear Dr. Jacobo, for me you are an excellent doctor, kind, gentle, and a great professional. I had kidney surgery performed by him and I feel very well. I bless you…
Margaret CastrillonJanuary 2025Dr. Joan took the time to listen attentively, answer all my questions, and explain everything clearly and calmly. I felt heard, well cared for, and in good hands…
Lizvanessa JavierApril 2026
Locations
Choose the center closest to you.
Santo DomingoClínica Abreu
In Gazcue, in the center of the capital, about 35 minutes from the airport. The clinic's first radiofrequency ablation session took place here.
San Francisco de MacorísCentro Médico Siglo 21
Office in suite 106, for patients in the northeast who prefer not to travel to Santiago.
Before booking
What people ask before booking.
The consultation is usually covered. Radiofrequency ablation is not in the benefits catalog of the basic social security plan, and coverage by complementary plans depends on each insurer and each plan. At the evaluation we review yours and tell you in writing.
No. You can request the evaluation directly.
The thyroid ultrasound and the biopsy, if you already had them, and the thyroid labs if you have them. If none of those studies has been done yet, the evaluation begins precisely with them.
It is performed under local anesthesia. During the procedure you feel warmth or pressure, not pain. Afterwards there may be some neck discomfort for a few days, managed with common pain relievers.
Yes.
The procedure is paid at the center on the day. The full cost is given to you in writing at the evaluation, before you decide anything.
We say so clearly and explain the options you do have. Dr. Jacobo also operates on the thyroid.
It would be a pleasure to review your case with you.
In person in Santiago, Santo Domingo or San Francisco de Macorís, or virtual from wherever you are.