title: Assessment of oesophageal position by direct visualization with luminal contrast compared with segmentation from pre-acquired computed tomography scan-implications for ablation strategy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atrio-oesophageal fistula is a rare but often fatal complication of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Various strategies are employed to evaluate the oesophageal position in relation to the posterior left atrium (LA). These include segmentation of the oesophagus from a pre-acquired computed tomography (CT) scan and direct, real-time assessment of the oesophageal position using contrast at the time of the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and fourteen patients with drug-refractory AF underwent CT scanning prior to AF ablation. The LA and oesophagus were segmented from this scan. The oesophagus was deemed midline, ostial if it crossed directly behind any of the pulmonary vein (PV) ostia, or antral if it passed within 5 mm of a PV ostium. Under general anaesthesia at the time of ablation, the same patients were administered contrast via an oro-gastric tube to outline the oesophagus. Catheters were placed at the PV ostia and oesophageal position in relation to the PVs was established radiographically using a postero-anterior view. Oesophageal position assessed by real-time assessment correlated with the CT scan in only 59% of patients. In 34% the oesophagus was more right sided on direct visualization, while in 7% it was more left sided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Segmentation of the oesophagus from the CT scan did not correlate the real-time oesophageal position at the time of the procedure in over 40% of patients under general anaesthesia. Reliance on the determination of oesophageal position by previously acquired CT may be misleading at best and provide a false sense of security when ablating in the posterior LA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia andrew.mcgavigan@health.sa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gavin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Cameron B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Singleton
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia Faculty of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McGavigan
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D056888:Patient Positioning; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; C044834:iodixanol
keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Oesophagus