Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
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J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. · Dec 2015
Case ReportsAblating the Posterior Heart: Cardioesophageal Fistula Complicating Radiofrequency Ablation in the Coronary Sinus.
Cardioesophageal fistulas (CEFs) are uncommon but life-threatening complications of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). They are usually, but not exclusively, related to ablation of the left atrial posterior wall. We report a case of a 73-year-old man that presented with CEF following RF ablation in the coronary sinus, highlighting the importance of esophageal temperature monitoring whenever ablating in the posterior heart.