Loading...
Over the next month, she developed progressive dyspnea, weight gain, edema, and dysphagia. Imaging showed pleural and pericardial effusions, as well as pneumopericardium. ECG variably displayed PR-interval depressions, ST-segment elevations, and low QRS voltages. The differential diagnosis centered on postablation complications, particularly involving the cardiac-esophageal interface (). Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with an esophageal–pericardial fistula and underwent surgical repair.
READ FULL ARTICLE
Comment
Before reading this case, I assumed that an atrial injury is a necessary step to esophageal injury in the setting of catheter ablation. This report demonstrates that many factors are at play and that thermal forces can affect the more vu…