title: Case report: paravalvular leak as a complication of percutaneous catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: An increasing number of reports reveal the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation therapy even in patients with a history of prosthetic heart valve. This case report presents a 60 year old female patient who had a prosthetic mitral paravalvular leak as a complication of radiofrequency ablation. Surgery revealed a 15 mm hole and three broken knots in the posterolateral mitral annulus. This report demonstrates radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with prosthetic mitral valve may cause a paravalvular leak likely as a result of thermal injury. Moreover, patient can be asymptomatic at first. The clinician should keep in mind such complication and the patient should be evaluated in terms of paravalvular leakage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Balikesir University, School of Medicine, Balikesir, 10010, Turkey. gurbuzorcun@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Orcun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gurbuz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Balikesir University, School of Medicine, Balikesir, 10010, Turkey. kadirercan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.affiliation: Department Of Cardiology, Bahcesehir University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. doctorhakan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Balikesir University, School of Medicine, Balikesir, 10010, Turkey. kumtepe.gencehan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gencehan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kumtepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsun Hospital for Education and Research, Samsun, Turkey. ilkerkaral@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilker H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Karal
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Acıbadem Bursa Hospital, Bursa, Turkey. serdarener@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ener
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011475:Prosthesis Failure