Interview with Ralph P. Tufano, MD, FACS

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Ralph Tufano, MD, FACS. I am the Director of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery), a Buffalo-based hospital. I am also an Associate Professor in Otolaryngology (head & neck surgery).

Could you tell us more about the hospital you work at ?

Johns Hopkins is a large, academic, tertiary-care hospital that was ranked number one (for the 18th consecutive time) in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of American medical centers.

What kind of patients do you usually treat ?

I practice mainly on patients with thyroid and parathyroid disease processes requiring surgery.

How did you hear about Theraclion ?

I heard about the company over three years ago, when a colleague (Dr Kieran Murphy) pointed me in their direction after I told him that I was interested in treating some thyroid and parathyroid disease processes non-invasively.

What are your patients' needs? And how can Theraclion’s technology help them ?

Theraclion’s technology offers a safe way to treat hyperparathyroidism effectively without direct surgical removal. That is a great improvement, especially since parathyroidectomy has inherent risks.

In which ways do you think Theraclion’s approach is unique ?

With Theraclion’s approach, there is a distinct possibility of changing the way we treat thyroid and parathyroid disease. I believe surgery could potentially be avoided.

I have been asked to be a member of the Scientific Advisory Board. I believe in the technology as an innovative way to potentially benefit our patients and change the way care is delivered in this area.