A case report of late pleural effusion and hemoptysis as a result of pulmonary vein stenosis due to atrial fibrillation ablation

Abstract

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) constitutes an uncommon complication of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation (RF-ablation for AF), that remains asymptomatic in most cases. We describe a rare case of a male patient who presented pleural effusion and hemoptysis due to PVS, 4 months after the performance of RF-AF. The present work delignates a peculiar clinical presentation of PVS, describes in detail the patient’s clinical course, the pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of secondary to RF-ablation for AF PVS, and aims to highlight the key role of pneumonologists’ clinical awareness, for the prompt diagnosis and treatment of the present clinical condition.

Keywords

• pleural effusion
• ablation
• hemoptysis
• pulmonary vein stenosis