Key result
Radiofrequency ablation with extensive circumferential pulmonary vein isolation for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation resulted in a fatal atrial-oesophageal fistula three weeks post-procedure.
Case Report (n=1)
Highlights the devastating and fatal complication of atrial-oesophageal fistula following radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.
Alerts clinicians to lethal atrial-oesophageal fistula risk after extensive PVI; leaves open optimal prevention strategies.
Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Radiofrequency ablation with extensive circumferential pulmonary vein isolation has been recognised as the most commonly employed ablation method to treat recurrent atrial fibrillation that is refractory to drug therapy. Atrial-oesophageal fistula is one of the most devastating complications following this procedure and has implications for intensive care clinicians. We report the clinical course of a patient with an extensive history of recurrent, drug-refractory atrial fibrillation who developed atrial-oesophageal fistula three weeks after pulmonary vein isolation, suffered a series of complications as a consequence, and eventually died.
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Loo et al. (2014) conducted a case report in Recurrent, drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (n=1). Radiofrequency ablation with extensive circumferential pulmonary vein isolation was evaluated on Atrial-oesophageal fistula and death. Radiofrequency ablation with extensive circumferential pulmonary vein isolation for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation resulted in a fatal atrial-oesophageal fistula three weeks post-procedure.
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