Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Highlight
  • Published:

Atrioesophageal fistula: a potentially fatal complication of radiofrequency ablation

Nature Clinical Practice Cardiovascular Medicine volume 3, pages 405–406 (2006)Cite this article

Cummings JE et al. (2006) Brief communication: atrial–esophageal fistulas after radiofrequency ablation. Ann Intern Med 144: 572–574

During radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation, atrioesophageal fistulas can occur as a result of thermal injury and necrosis caused by elevated temperatures within the esophageal lumen. Only three cases of atrioesophageal fistula have been previously reported in the medical literature. Cummings et al. reviewed the medical records for nine additional patients with this complication to establish their clinical symptoms, treatment and outcome.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Atrioesophageal fistula: a potentially fatal complication of radiofrequency ablation. Nat Rev Cardiol 3, 405–406 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpcardio0591

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpcardio0591

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing