Analysis of thrombotic complications after catheter ablation

Thromboembolic complications are described in about 1% of the patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA). The aim of this study was to analyze thrombotic complications after RFA and to determine prothrombotic states in patients with thrombotic complications.

We analyzed data from 400 patients (212 females) who underwent 453 RFA procedures for supraventricular tachycardias. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed one day before and after RFA in all patients. We evaluated the clinical and laboratory (in patients with thrombotic complications after RFA) risk factors of thromboembolism.

We observed thrombotic complication in 7 (1.75%) patients (6 females), thrice flail thrombus in the right atrium, flail thrombus in the inferior vena cava, femoral vein thrombosis with massive pulmonary embolism, femoral vein mural thrombus and upper extremity digital arteries embolization; four of them were asymptomatic. As a prothrombotic state we identified factor V Leiden mutation in one case and the use of oral contraceptives in two cases. Two other patients had a positive history of thromboembolic events. In a subgroup of females the use of oral contraceptives (p = 0.13) or a positive history of thromboembolism (p = 0.21) were not identified as important risk factors.

Echocardiographic detection of asymptomatic thrombotic complications contributed to the higher percentage of these complications in our study. Although we can identify the risk factor (laboratory or clinical) in a majority of patients with a thromboembolic complication, occurrence of these complications is unpredictable.