Constrictive Pericarditis After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

A 70-year-old man with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was referred for pulmonary vein isolation. Past medical history included ischemic heart disease and a right hemicolectomy for Duke’s C carcinoma 10 years previously. Presenting ECG showed sinus rhythm with a normal axis and evidence of left atrial enlargement (Figure 1). Preoperative echocardiography demonstrated normal left ventricular structure and function. After routine single transseptal puncture, retrograde pulmonary venography was performed. This demonstrated 2 large right pulmonary veins and a left common pulmonary vein. Subsequently, an uncomplicated wide-area circumferential ablation …