title: Delayed tamponade triggering Dressler's syndrome after pulmonary vein isolation.
abstract: Percutaneous catheter ablation is now a well-established, efficient and effective treatment strategy for recurrent, symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Major complications though occur in up to 5.9% of procedures. New complications still continue to emerge. Delayed tamponade is only recently recognized as a major complication after ablation. We present a 68-year-old female patient who develops cardiac tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis 12 days after AF ablation. Subsequently, the tamponade triggers a Dressler syndrome with repetitive pleural effusions only adequately responsive to corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute ZNA Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caenepeel
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: De Greef
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors