Highlights the rare but fatal complication of atrio-oesophageal fistula following atrial fibrillation ablation, emphasizing the need for early recognition.
Post-ablation atrio-oesophageal fistula can cause delayed pneumo-embolic stroke; case report leaves open optimal prevention and early-detection strategies.
We report the case of a man found unconscious three weeks following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Cranial and thoracic imaging demonstrated multiple areas of pneumo-embolic infarction secondary to an atrio-oesophageal fistula (AEF). AEF is a recognised, but rare, complication of AF ablation.(1-8) Early recognition is critical as the mortality is 100% without surgical intervention. We consider the postulated mechanisms of AEF formation, the spectrum of clinical presentation, investigations and treatment.
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Koa‐Wing et al. (2014) studied this question.
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