Incidence of Pulmonary Vein Stenosis After Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Objectives This study aimed to determine incidence of pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) and evaluate PVS-related symptoms. Background The real-life incidence of PVS after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. Methods All patients who underwent RFCA of AF from 2005 to 2016 with routine pre- and post-ablation screening by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography were included. Primary ablation strategy was PV antrum isolation alone in all patients. PVS, defined as a significant reduction in the superoinferior or anteroposterior PV diameter, was classified as mild (30% to 50%), moderate (50% to 70%), or severe (>70%). Results Sufficient quality imaging of the PV anatomy before ablation and during follow-up (mean 6 ± 4 months) was performed in 976 patients (76.4% men, 59.1% paroxysmal AF). Of these patients, 306 (31.4%) showed mild stenosis, 42 (4.3%) revealed moderate stenosis, and 7 (0.7%) had a severe stenosis in at least 1 PV. Incidence of PVS fluctuated over the past decade. All severe PVS cases were likely caused by ablations being performed inside the PVs. Only 1 (0.1%) patient reported PVS-related symptoms of severe dyspnea during follow-up. Computed tomography revealed a subtotal occlusion of the left inferior PV and a severe stenosis of the left superior PV, requiring stenting. Conclusions Although mild PVS was frequently observed after RFCA in this large cohort, incidence of severe PVS was <1% and incidence of symptomatic PVS necessitating intervention was negligible. Based on these findings, it seems appropriate to only screen for PVS in patients with suggestive symptoms.