Key result
Catheter ablation linked to a ~7% 90-day readmission rate, driven mostly by arrhythmia recurrence.
Why the study?
Defining the frequency and predictors of post-ablation hospital readmissions, emergency room visits, and complications is essential to optimize patient follow-up and outcomes.
Observational (n=176)
No
Ninety-day readmissions and ER visits after catheter ablation are relatively infrequent (7.4% and 13.1%) and are independently predicted by older age and comorbidity burden such as diabetes and heart failure.
Older comorbid patients remain at risk for recurrence-driven readmissions post-ablation; leaves open targeted prevention trials before practice change.
Introduction: Although catheter ablation is a cornerstone in arrhythmia management, hospital readmissions, emergency room (ER) visits, and complications remain a significant clinical burden. Defining their frequency and predictors is essential to optimize patient follow-up and outcomes after ablation. Methods: To evaluate the rates and predictors of 90-day hospital readmissions and emergency room visits following catheter ablation, as well as procedure-related complications, among patients undergoing catheter ablation, a retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), including adult patients undergoing catheter ablation between June 2022 and June 2024. Data were extracted from BestCare electronic medical records and analyzed using Fisher’s exact tests and logistic regression. Results: Among 176 patients, 13 (7.4%) were readmitted and 23 (13.1%) visited the ER, predominantly due to arrhythmia recurrence (61.5% and 60.9%, respectively). Recurrent events occurred in a subset of patients and were significantly more frequent among older individuals and those with a higher comorbidity burden (p< 0.01). Conclusion: Ninety-day readmissions and ER visits after catheter ablation were infrequent, mostly due to arrhythmia recurrence. Independent predictors included older age and comorbidity burden, underscoring the need for risk stratification and structured follow-up strategies to reduce preventable healthcare utilization.
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AlShammary et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Cardiac arrhythmia undergoing catheter ablation (n=176). Catheter ablation for cardiac arrhythmias was evaluated on 90-day hospital readmission and emergency room visits following catheter ablation. Catheter ablation for arrhythmias was associated with a 7.4% 90-day hospital readmission rate and 13.1% rate of emergency room visits, mostly due to arrhythmia recurrence.
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