A worldwide survey on incidence, management, and prognosis of oesophageal fistula formation following atrial fibrillation catheter ablation: the POTTER-AF study.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Oesophageal fistula represents a rare but dreadful complication of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. Data on its incidence, management, and outcome are sparse.

Methods and results

This international multicentre registry investigates the characteristics of oesophageal fistulae after treatment of atrial fibrillation by catheter ablation. A total of 553 729 catheter ablation procedures (radiofrequency: 62.9%, cryoballoon: 36.2%, other modalities: 0.9%) were performed, at 214 centres in 35 countries. In 78 centres 138 patients [0.025%, radiofrequency: 0.038%, cryoballoon: 0.0015% (P < 0.0001)] were diagnosed with an oesophageal fistula. Peri-procedural data were available for 118 patients (85.5%). Following catheter ablation, the median time to symptoms and the median

SUBMITTER: Tilz RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10344651 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature