title: Intramural left atrial haematoma mimicking cardiac tamponade after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Catheter ablation is an established treatment modality for patients with drug refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). This procedure carries a 6% major complication rate including cardiac tamponade due to cardiac perforation. We report on a patient with clinical signs of cardiac tamponade due to a diffuse intramural left atrial haematoma obstructing left ventricular filling after catheter ablation of AF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. christian.kurek@freenet.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gwechenberger
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loewe
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gössinger
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans