title: Esophageal perforation after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: A 69-year-old man underwent left atrial radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. After 10 minutes, the procedure was terminated due to pericardial tamponade secondary to perforation during mapping. Pericardiocentesis resolved the tamponade. Ablation was completed one week later, and the patient was discharged. Two days later, he presented with odynophagia. Computed tomography demonstrated small bilateral pleural effusions. He was judged to be stable and was discharged again, but returned 2 days later with chest pain. He was found to have esophageal perforation with empyema, which was repaired using a muscle patch and esophageal stenting, successfully treating the lesion with minimal morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Namdar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manouchehri
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Simon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Alexandra Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lockwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, Canada.
authors.forename: Laurence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Sterns
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada elbedard@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eric Lr
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Bédard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
keywords: Atrial Fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Empyema; Esophageal perforation; pleural