title: Contact-Force Catheters: Efficacy Versus Safety? Case Report of 2 Atrioesophageal Fistulae.
abstract: Contact-force (CF) catheters appear to be more effective compared to standard ablation catheters for complex radiofrequency ablation including atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation when optimal CF >10 g is achieved. Some have suggested that this technology could also improve procedural safety. We report 2 cases of atrioesophageal fistulae (AEF), a rare but catastrophic complication of AF ablation. These are to our knowledge the first cases of AEF described after using CF catheters.
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gitenay
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Gilles Edouard
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: O' Hara
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sarrazin
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nault
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Philippon
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadron Blaye-Felice
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laaouaj
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Champagne
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001344:Autopsy; D062906:Cardiac Catheters; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D004867:Equipment Design; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005402:Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: AF ablation; SmartTouch catheter; TactiCath; atrial fibrillation; atrioesophageal fistulae; catheter ablation; contact-force catheters