title: A fatal complication due to radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: atrio-esophageal fistula.
abstract: Treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation is gaining more acceptance in patients with rheumatic valve disease. This article reports a case of fatal atrio-esophageal fistula after radiofrequency ablation in a patient with rheumatic mitral and aortic valve disease with chronic atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul Memorial Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bingur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sonmez
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirsoy
authors.forename: Naci
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yagan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arbatli
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sener
authors.forename: Turker
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Feryal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ilkova
mesh_terms: D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index