A worldwide survey on incidence, management, and prognosis of oesophageal fistula formation following atrial fibrillation catheter ablation: the POTTER-AF study.

AIMS: Oesophageal fistula represents a rare but dreadful complication of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. Data on its incidence, management, and outcome are sparse. METHODS AND RESULTS: This international multicentre registry investigates the characteristics of oesophageal fistulae after treatment of atrial fibrillation by catheter ablation. A total of 553 729 catheter ablation procedures (radiofrequency: 62.9%, cryoballoon: 36.2%, other modalities: 0.9%) were performed, at 214 centres in 35 countries. In 78 centres 138 patients [0.025%, radiofrequency: 0.038%, cryoballoon: 0.0015% (P < 0.0001)] were diagnosed with an oesophageal fistula. Peri-procedural data were available for 118 patients (85.5%). Following catheter ablation, the median time to symptoms and the median time to diagnosis were 18 (7.75, 25; range: 0-60) days and 21 (15, 29.5; range: 2-63) days, respectively. The median time from symptom onset to oesophageal fistula diagnosis was 3 (1, 9; range: 0-42) days. The most common initial symptom was fever (59.3%). The diagnosis was established by chest computed tomography in 80.2% of patients. Oesophageal surgery was performed in 47.4% and direct endoscopic treatment in 19.8% and conservative treatment in 32.8% of patients. The overall mortality was 65.8%. Mortality following surgical (51.9%) or endoscopic treatment (56.5%) was significantly lower as compared to conservative management (89.5%) [odds ratio 7.463 (2.414, 23.072) P < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: Oesophageal fistula after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is rare and occurs mostly with the use of radiofrequency energy rather than cryoenergy. Mortality without surgical or endoscopic intervention is exceedingly high.

Management of esophageal atresia and early predictive factors of mortality and morbidity in a developing country.

The aim of this study is to investigate management and outcome in esophageal atresia (EA) and to identify early predictive factors of morbidity and mortality in a developing country. Charts of neonates with repaired EA from 2007 to 2016 were reviewed. Patients' characteristics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected. Statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of complicated evolution. Forty-two cases were collected. There were 14 girls and 28 boys. Only one patient had antenatal diagnosis (2.3%). The mean gestational age was 38 weeks. Nine patients (21.4%) weighed less than 2.5 kg. Seventeen (40.4%) patients had associated malformations most commonly cardiac (9/17). Thirteen patients had delayed diagnosis (30.9%). Thirty-nine (92.8%) patients underwent primary esophageal anastomosis. Overall survival was 76.2%. Nineteen patients (57% of survivals) had complicated evolution before the age of one year and 15 patients (46.8% of survivals) developed complications after the age of one year. Perinatal variables associated with mortality were prematurity (p = 0.004, OR = 5.4, IC95% = [1.13-25.80]), low birth weight (p = 0.023, OR = 7, IC95% = [1.38-35.47]), cardiac malformations (p = 0.006, OR = 10.5, IC95% = [2.03-54.27]) and delayed diagnosis (p = 0.005, OR = 10.11, IC95% = [2.005-50.980]). Variables associated with short-term and middle-term complications were duration of intubation (p = 0.019, OR = 0.118, IC95% = [0.019-0.713]) and the presence of short-term complications (p = 0.016, OR = 7.33, IC95% = [1.467-36.664]) respectively. These factors may be used to identify patients who will benefit from more intensive follow-up program.

Assessment of oesophageal position by direct visualization with luminal contrast compared with segmentation from pre-acquired computed tomography scan-implications for ablation strategy.

AIMS: Atrio-oesophageal fistula is a rare but often fatal complication of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Various strategies are employed to evaluate the oesophageal position in relation to the posterior left atrium (LA). These include segmentation of the oesophagus from a pre-acquired computed tomography (CT) scan and direct, real-time assessment of the oesophageal position using contrast at the time of the procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen patients with drug-refractory AF underwent CT scanning prior to AF ablation. The LA and oesophagus were segmented from this scan. The oesophagus was deemed midline, ostial if it crossed directly behind any of the pulmonary vein (PV) ostia, or antral if it passed within 5 mm of a PV ostium. Under general anaesthesia at the time of ablation, the same patients were administered contrast via an oro-gastric tube to outline the oesophagus. Catheters were placed at the PV ostia and oesophageal position in relation to the PVs was established radiographically using a postero-anterior view. Oesophageal position assessed by real-time assessment correlated with the CT scan in only 59% of patients. In 34% the oesophagus was more right sided on direct visualization, while in 7% it was more left sided. CONCLUSION: Segmentation of the oesophagus from the CT scan did not correlate the real-time oesophageal position at the time of the procedure in over 40% of patients under general anaesthesia. Reliance on the determination of oesophageal position by previously acquired CT may be misleading at best and provide a false sense of security when ablating in the posterior LA.

Complications in the catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: incidence and management.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation is widely performed as an effective treatment for recurrent, drug-resistant atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, various types of ablation strategies, such as extensive encircling pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, linear ablation and complex fractionated electrogram-guided ablation, have been used to achieve a high efficacy for all types of AF. However, several complications (thromboembolic events, PV stenosis and atrio-esophageal fistula etc) with an incidence of 3.9-6%, have been reported. It is important to understand the incidence, prevention and management of complications in order to develop safe ablation strategies.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a review of indications, complications and outcome.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was first described in 1980 as an effective method of feeding via the stomach in situations where oral intake is not possible. Its simplicity has led to its potential use in areas of dubious clinical benefit. Our unit has faced a major increase in referrals for PEG insertion over the last 2 years. For this reason we decided to audit our PEG insertion procedures with regard to indications, complications, outcome and follow up. We studied 168 patients who had an initial PEG insertion during the period 1 February 1996-31 January 1998. The medical records of these patients were reviewed with regard to the procedure, antibiotic use and complications. All patients (or carers or next of kin) were contacted by telephone to provide details regarding late complications and follow up. There were 87 females and 81 males (aged 16-98 years, median age 70 years). At 2 years, 67% were alive. The most frequent indication for PEG insertion was a neurological condition, the commonest being stroke. Most patients received either ticarcillin/clavulanic acid or cephazolin antibiotic prophylaxis before and after the procedure. In six patients (3.6%) infection at the PEG site required intravenous antibiotics. Four of these six patients did not have antibiotic prophylaxis. Only two deaths could be directly related to the procedure. Three died within 7 days of the procedure due to unrelated medical complications. Sixteen patients died within 1 month, the majority of these patients did not leave hospital. One-fifth of the patients (35/168) had their PEG removed due to the re-establishment of oral feeding, with median time of use, 4.3 months. It is a safe, effective feeding method in the elderly, but experience with case selection, the procedure and careful follow up remain essential. The use of prophylactic antibiotics resulted in few significant infections of the PEG site. Up to one-fifth of patients will require their PEG only for a short term.

Gastric tube oesophagoplasty--a long-term assessment.

The first gastric tube oesophagoplasty at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children was performed in 1968. Over the next 15 years, until 1982, a total of 46 operations were performed. This represents the largest series of gastric tube oesophagoplasty in children yet reported in the literature. Two techniques have been in use and are compared. The main aim of the paper is to present the long-term results of gastric tube oesophagoplasty. In our 15 years' experience with the gastric tube for oesophageal replacement, we have found it to be a very satisfactory procedure, with a very low mortality and failure rate. The vascularity of the stomach gives rise to less anxiety than with colon. Early postoperative complications are readily identified and treated. There is a higher risk of serious chest complications in bringing the gastric tube through the chest with primary anastomosis in the neck. This also predisposes to diaphragmatic herniation and obstruction, complications not seen when the gastric tube is brought up substernally. The long-term results are very encouraging, with virtually all the children leading active and normal lives. The gastric tube functions satisfactorily with no evidence of the late complications often reported with colonic tubes. There is no significant difference in the long-term results of the two techniques of gastric tube oesophagoplasty used in this hospital.

Oesophageal trauma: incidence, diagnosis, and management.

The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of 110 cases of oesophageal trauma, admitted under the care of one surgical team between 1949 and 1973, are reviewed. The importance of early diagnosis and an aggressive surgical approach in the management of a potentially lethal situation are stressed. In our opinion, spontaneous rupture of the oesophagus, instrumental perforation, open and closed traumatic lesions, and postoperative anastomotic leaks are, as far as diagnosis and management are concerned, different aspects of the same desperate surgical problem. Oesophageal trauma is accompanied by a high morbidity and mortality rate if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Perforations of the cervical oesophagus may be treated conservatively. Intrathoracic perforations demand an aggressive surgical appraoch; only exteriorisation followed by reconstruction at a later date offers a reasonable chance to save the life of the patient and ultimately restore continuity.