3.5 Complications
In our series we had only one major complication. A 47-year-old male
patient, who was ablated for long-standing persistent AF, 15 days after
the procedure, being on rivaroxaban, presented with cardiac tamponade
and moderate left pleural effusion. The patient had undergone his first
AF ablation in which PVI, box lesion and successful MI ablation (without
CS epicardial access) was performed. The patient was promptly treated
with pericardiocentesis, and after a short hospital stay, he fully
recovered. To date he is free of any atrial arrhythmia recurrence for a
follow-up period of 29 months.