Late onset cardiac cirrhosis and portal hypertensive ascites after atrial fibrillation ablation

Abstract

Pulmonary vein stenosis is a potential complication following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). We report the case of a patient with refractory ascites late after multiple catheter ablation procedures for AF. This is the first case report of portal hypertensive ascites due to acquired multiple pulmonary vein stenoses resulting in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and cardiac cirrhosis late after AF ablation. Despite extensive surgical reconstruction of the affected pulmonary veins, the patient has PH and right heart failure with persistent ascites and lower extremity edema.