Pulmonary veins stenosis relief after an inappropriate radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in a young non-competitive athlete

• Main Authors: Berardo Sarubbi, Gaetano Rea, Giuseppe Santoro, Enrico Melillo, Giancarlo Scognamiglio, Maria Giovannna Russo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2018-03-01
• Series: Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease
• Subjects: Atrial fibrillation; catheter ablation; pulmonary veins stenosis; angioplasty.
• Online Access: https://www.monaldi-archives.org/index.php/macd/article/view/895

One of the major complications of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS). The natural history of PVS, especially when it involves more than one vein, leads to severe and irreversible pulmonary hypertension with end-stage right heart failure that can require, in extreme cases, even heart-lung transplantation. We report the case of a young patient who underwent RFCA for a single lasting episode of AF and developed PVS years later. He was treated with ballon venoplasty followed by stent implantation in left pulmonary vein because of PVS relief. This reported case emphasizes the need of an adequate indication for RFCA for AF, considering the benefit-risk ratio especially in young patients with normal cardiac function.