Why the study?
Oesophago-pericardial fistula following an electrophysiological procedure is a rare, potentially life-threatening condition whose initial presentation can easily be misdiagnosed due to variable and non-specific symptoms.
Highlights a rare, fatal complication of oesophago-pericardial fistula and cerebral air embolism following elective atrial fibrillation ablation, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis.
Alerts clinicians to rare fatal fistula risk post-AF ablation; leaves open optimal prevention strategies.
Oesophago-pericardial fistula following any electrophysiological procedure is a rare, and potentially, life-threatening condition. Initial presentation can easily be misdiagnosed, as symptoms vary and are not specific. Echocardiography is an invaluable tool to diagnose and rule out complications. We present the case of a 68-year-old patient who developed an oesophago-pericardial fistula complicated with purulent pericarditis, sepsis and cerebral air embolism. In conclusion, this case report encourages physicians to use strategies that may help with early diagnosis and lead to potential lifesaving interventions.
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Dutton et al. (2019) studied this question.
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