Giant thrombus in the left atrium after radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: A case report

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a standard treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, RFCA is associated with perioperative problems, such as systemic embolization, and asymptomatic brain infarction is frequently detected by magnetic resonance imaging immediately after RFCA for AF.1,2 Most embolic adverse events associated with RFCA are presumably caused by microbubbles or thrombus formation.3 A previous in vivo study suggested that endothelial hyperthermic injury by RFCA induces thrombus formation.