An aorto-left atrial fistula as a fatal complication of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: a case report.

Krystian Krzyżanowski, Agata Krzesiak, Marek Kiliszek

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In one paragraph

Article in European heart journal. Case reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Krystian KrzyżanowskiDepartment of Cardiology and Internal Diseases, Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute, Szaserow 128, Warsaw 04-141, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1133-3527

Agata KrzesiakCardiology Department, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński Voivodeship Hospital in Łomża, Al. Piłsudskiego 11, Łomża 18-404, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5834-5126

Marek KiliszekDepartment of Cardiology and Internal Diseases, Military Institute of Medicine-National Research Institute, Szaserow 128, Warsaw 04-141, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7935-1756

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Aorto-atrial fistulas are extremely rare and potentially fatal complications of cardiac procedures. Case report: An 81-year-old woman with persistent AF underwent radiofrequency ablation with additional anterior wall lesions for extensive low-voltage areas. Seven days later, she was readmitted with non-specific symptoms. Despite initial improvement with pharmacological therapy, she developed sudden haemodynamic collapse. Echocardiography revealed an aorto-left atrial fistula. Intensive treatment was unsuccessful, and the patient died. Discussion: This case illustrates a rare, fatal complication of anterior wall ablation for atrial fibrillation. Awareness of this risk is essential, especially in elderly or frail patients requiring extensive ablation.

Indexed as

Ablationaorto-left atrial fistulaAtrial fibrillationCase report

Identifiers

PMID42255186

DOI10.1093/ehjcr/ytag389

PMCPMC13237864

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