The procedure known as cardiac ablation involves the application of a high-frequency jolt of electricity to the heart in order to correct an irregular heartbeat. A cardiologist inserts a catheter tube through a small incision in the groin, arm or neck and guides the tube to the heart. The specialist then applies a jolt of electricity to the area of the heart that causes the irregular rhythm. Cardiac ablation is a safe procedure, and although complications appear in rare cases, mortality associated with the operation occurs in less than one in every 2,000 cases, according to the Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.
Bleeding and Embolisms
Bleeding is one of the most common complications associated with cardiac ablation, notes the Brigham and Women's Hospital. A patient may experience bleeding, pain and infection in the area where the cardiologist makes the incision to insert the catheter. Embolisms, or blood clots, may form and travel to the brain, where they can cause a stroke, or to the heart, lungs or other areas of the body.
Blood Vessel Damage
The catheter used in the cardiac ablation procedure can damage the blood vessels it passes through on its way to the heart. The tube might scrape against the inner walls of the blood vessels, or might puncture the vessels, but these complications rarely occur, notes the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Cardiac ablation may result in narrowing, or stenosis, of the pulmonary vein that carries blood from the lungs into the heart. The procedure can also lead to blockage, or occlusion, of the pulmonary vein. Cardiac ablation can also cause damage to the coronary arteries that transport blood to the heart.
Puncture or Compression of the Heart
Complications involving the heart include puncture of that organ and damage to the heart valves. Cardiac ablation may result in a buildup of fluid in the area between the pericardium -- the sac of tissue surrounding the heart -- and the heart muscle. This condition, known as cardiac tamponade, exerts pressure on the heart that impedes its ability to pump blood. The Merck Manuals notes that cardiac tamponade occurs in approximately 1 percent of cases. The procedure may cause damage to the heart that can interfere with the heart's electrical system, causing irregular heart rhythms.
Fistula, Kidney Damage and Nerve Damage
MedlinePlus mentions esophageal atrial fistula as a complication associated with cardiac ablation. That condition involves the formation of a connection between the heart and the esophagus. MayoClinic.com mentions that the dye used during the cardiac ablation procedure can cause damage to the kidneys. The procedure can also cause damage to the vagus nerve, which runs to the throat, the lungs and the heart. It can also do harm to the phrenic nerve, which goes to the diaphragm.
References
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Arrhythmias and Conduction Disorders
- MedlinePlus: Cardiac Ablation Procedures
- Brigham and Women's Hospital: Cardiac Arrhythmia Service Catheter Ablation of Supraventricular and Ventricular Arrhythmias
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Catheter Ablation
- MayoClinic.com: Cardiac Ablation--Risks
