The undesirable communication: A case of cerebral air emboli in the setting of atrio- esophageal fistula following atrial fibrillation catheter ablation

Abstract

Atrial-esophageal fistula is an extremely rare condition but is often a deleterious complication following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The associated iatrogenic communication acts as a conduit for air and bacterial translocation, which may lead to cerebral air embolism and polymicrobial sepsis, respectively. Coupled with a history of invasive procedures, the diagnosis is largely based on the accompanying neurological symptoms. In this report, we present the case of a 73-year-old female who presented with neurological deficits attributed to cerebral vascular emboli three weeks after catheter ablation for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation.