What are the risks of atrial fibrillation ablation?
Overall approximate complication rate: – 2% Major or serious complications. – 3% Minor complications. While catheter ablation is a low risk procedure, some of the possible complications can be serious. Certain of these complications are common to all catheter procedures, such as bleeding, injury to arteries or veins, cardiac perforation or tamponade (accumulation of blood in the sac around the heart). Additional risks associated with atrial fibrillation ablation include anesthesia risks, narrowing (stenosis) of pulmonary veins, strokes, heart attacks, injury to the esophagus. The possibility of death related to catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is very low, but in large series of patients is probably on the order of approximately 1 in 1000 cases. We take every precaution to avoid complications.
Related Questions
- How does the MicroMaze procedure differ from other atrial fibrillation treatments available today, such as radiofrequency ablation?
- Might Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Provide a Better Outcome Than Antiarrhythmic Therapy?
- How does pharmacologic therapy compare with catheter ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation?
