Atrio-esophageal fistula is a rare but highly fatal complication of atrial fibrillation ablation that can present weeks later with neurological deficits and sepsis.
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Post-ablation atrioesophageal fistula risks cerebral embolism and sepsis; this case leaves open optimal prevention and early detection strategies.
Atrial-esophageal fistula is an extremely rare condition but is often a deleterious complication following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The associated iatrogenic communication acts as a conduit for air and bacterial translocation, which may lead to cerebral air embolism and polymicrobial sepsis, respectively. Coupled with a history of invasive procedures, the diagnosis is largely based on the accompanying neurological symptoms. In this report, we present the case of a 73-year-old female who presented with neurological deficits attributed to cerebral vascular emboli three weeks after catheter ablation for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation.
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Islam et al. (2022) studied this question.
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