If a patient has a chronic heart rate abnormality, called an arrhythmia or fibrillation, a doctor may recommend a procedure called catheter ablation to rectify this heart disturbance. Catheter ablation, also called cardiac ablation, involves the placement of a thin tube called a catheter within the heart through a healthy leg vein. The catheter damages specific regions of the heart responsible for signaling abnormal heart muscle contracts. Catheter ablation can cause complications in certain patients, which should be discussed with a doctor prior to having this procedure performed.
Blood Vessel or Heart Damage
A surgeon can accidentally damage a patient's blood vessels as the catheter is passed up through the leg into the heart, warns the National Heart Lung Blood Institute. Rarely, the heart muscle may be inadvertently punctured when the catheter is placed within the heart. These catheter ablation complications can cause serious medical problems in affected patients and require prompt medical attention.
Stenosis
Unusual narrowing of the veins that transport blood between the heart and lungs can occur as a complication of catheter ablation. This complication, which is called stenosis, can cause breathing problems, skin discoloration, heart beat changes or increased fatigue in affected patients.
Heart Block
Placement of a catheter within the heart can cause damage to the heart's signaling mechanisms. This disruption is called atrioventricular nodal block or heart block, and can lead to permanent heart rate irregularities, explains the American Academy of Family Physicians. Typically, patients who develop heart block as a complication of catheter ablation need to have a pacemaker implanted to regulate their heart rate.
Bleeding, Infection or Blood Clots
As with most surgical procedures, bleeding, infection or blood clots can occur as complications of catheter ablation, explains the National Heart Lung Blood Institute. Unusual bleeding or infection should be discussed with a doctor immediately, as additional medical intervention may be necessary to resolve these complications. A blood clot that interferes with blood flow to a patient's heart, brain or lungs, can cause life-threatening complications.
Death
Approximately 0.1 to 0.3 percent of patients who undergo catheter ablation develop fatal medical complications. Though death during or following catheter ablation is rare, patients should be aware of the potential dangers of this procedure.
References
- National Heart Lung Blood Institute: What are the Risks of Catheter Ablation?
- UpToDate: Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation Complications
- MayoClinic.com: Cardiac Ablation - Risks
- PubMed/"American Academy of Family Physicians": Catheter Ablation of Supraventricular Arrhythmias and Atrial Fibrilation
- "Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology;" Complications of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: Incidence and Predictors; DD Spragg, et. al.; June 2008
