Atrial-esophageal fistula after atrial radiofrequency catheter ablation

Abstract

Atrial-esophageal fistula is a rare but often fatal complication of catheter radiofrequency ablation. Patients occasionally have bacteremia and have been misdiagnosed with endocarditis. In-fectious diseases specialists are often consulted and need to be aware of this complication. We report a case of atrial-esoph-ageal fistula after radiofrequency ablation that illustrates the salient features of this illness. Radiofrequency ablation for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation is being more commonly performed both by cardiac surgeons and by electrophysiologists. As a result, complications from this procedure are being more frequently reported. Since 2004, atrial-esophageal fistulas (AEF) with high mortality rates have been reported with an increasing incidence after both surgical and percutaneous radiofrequency ablations. We present a case of AEF that illustrates the salient features of this illness