1. Fatal cerebral air embolism from atrio-oesophageal fistula following cardiac ablation.
- Author
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Keh RYS, du Plessis D, Potter GM, Kobylecki C, and Cooper P
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Atrial Fibrillation, Embolism, Air etiology, Esophageal Fistula complications, Esophageal Fistula diagnosis, Thiamine Deficiency complications, Tachycardia, Supraventricular complications
- Abstract
A young woman with Rogers syndrome (thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anaemia, diabetes mellitus and sensorineural deafness) presented with headache, recurrent supraventricular tachycardia and features of an upper gastrointestinal bleed, 1 month after radiofrequency cardiac ablation for supraventricular tachycardia. She deteriorated rapidly after endoscopy and subsequently died. Brain imaging during the acute deterioration showed diffuse intracranial air embolism and hypoxic-ischaemic injury. Postmortem examination showed an atrio-oesophageal fistula, a rare complication of cardiac ablation. Clinicians should suspect this condition in patients with acute neurological deterioration after cardiac ablation who have diffuse air embolism on imaging., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2024
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