Complications of invasive cardiac electrophysiology studies

Associated with percutaneous catheterization of veins and arteries

Pain

Adverse drug reaction

Infection/abscess at the catheterization site, sepsis

Excessive bleeding, hematoma formation

Thrombophlebitis

Pulmonary thromboembolism

Arterial damage, aortic dissection

Systemic thromboembolism

Transient ischemic attack/stroke

Associated with intracardiac catheters and programmed cardiac stimulation

Cardiac chamber or coronary sinus perforation

Hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade

Atrial fibrillation

Ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation

Myocardial infarction

Right or left bundle branch block

Associated with transcatheter ablation

Complete heart block

Thromboembolism

Vascular access problems (bleeding, infection, hematoma, vascular injury)

Cardiac trauma (myocardial perforation, tamponade, valvular damage)

Coronary artery thrombosis/myocardial infarction

Cardiac arrhythmias

Pericarditis

Pulmonary vein stenosis

Phrenic nerve paralysis

Radiation skin burns

Possible late malignancy

Atrioesophageal fistula

Death resulting from one of the above complications

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