Mechanical esophageal deflection during ablation of atrial fibrillation.
To prevent esophageal damage during ablation of atrial fibrillation, we developed a technique to move the esophagus away from a desired ablation site too close to the esophagus. Under fluoroscopy, a transesophageal echocardiography probe was used to deflect the barium-opacified esophagus from the ablation site. This technique was successfully employed in three patients where critical sites of the posterior left atrial wall were very close to the esophagus.
Herweg
Bengt
B
Arrhythmia Service and Division of Cardiology, Tampa General Hospital and University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33606, USA. bherweg@hsc.usf.edu
Johnson
Nancy
N
Postler
Gilbert
G
Curtis
Anne B
AB
Barold
S Serge
SS
Ilercil
Arzu
A
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*