Left phrenic nerve injury during electrical isolation of left-sided pulmonary veins with the second-generation...

Phrenic nerve (PN) palsy (PNP) is the most frequent complication of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). The major complication of this technique seems to be right-sided PN injury (PNI) following ablation of the right pulmonary veins (PVs). We sought to assess the incidence and prognosis of left-sided PNI during CBA.

CBA was performed in 448 patients with AF. During the ablation of the left-sided PVs, the PN was paced from the left subclavian vein with a pacing output just exceeding the threshold by 10 ∼ 20%. The right and left arm 12-lead electrocardiogram electrodes were positioned 5 cm above the xiphoid process and 16 cm along the left costal margin. The amplitude of the compound motor action potentials was recorded during the CBA.

Two thousand one hundred seventy-eight CBA applications were delivered in 1,094 left-sided PVs. PNI occurred in 29 patients (6.5%); the PN could be captured by an increasing pacing output in 21 patients (4.7%), and premature termination of the freezing was required to avoid PNP in eight patients (1.8%). The PN function recovered before discharge; however, it took 7 months for one patient to completely recovery from the PNP.

Left-sided PNP could be provoked during a left-sided CBA procedure. Assessment of the left PN during the CBA was necessary to prevent left-sided PNP.