Table 3.
Reported postoperative complications after cryoballoon ablation versus radiofrequency ablation.
| Study | Cryoballoon ablation | Radiofrequency ablation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complication | Number of patients (n=741) | Complication | Number of patients (n=751) | |
| Pérez-Castellano et al. [13] | Hemoptysis | 1 | Right femoral arteriovenous fistula | 1 |
| Herrera Siklódy et al. [15] | Phrenic nerve injury | 2 | ||
| Femoral pseudoaneurysm | 1 | |||
| Groin hematoma | 1 | |||
| Hunter et al. [16] | Phrenic nerve injury | 4 | Tamponade | 1 |
| Hematoma | 1 | |||
| Asymptomatic pulmonary vein stenosis | 1 | |||
| Dressler's syndrome | 1 | |||
| Kuck et al. [6] | Phrenic nerve injury | 10 | Groin site complication∗ | 16 |
| Groin site complication∗ | 7 | Cardiac tamponade/pericardial effusion | 5 | |
| Other, nonarrhythmia complications∗∗ | 3 | Pulmonary complication | 4 | |
| Pulmonary complication | 2 | Transient neurological complication | 3 | |
| Cardiac tamponade/pericardial effusion | 1 | Dyspnea | 2 | |
| Transient neurological complication | 1 | Gastrointestinal complication | 2 | |
| Dyspnea | 1 | Contrast media reaction | 1 | |
| Anxiety | 1 | Contusion | 1 | |
| Esophageal ulcer | 1 | Hematuria | 1 | |
| Gastrointestinal complication | 1 | Local edema | 1 | |
| Luik et al. [5] | Phrenic nerve injury | 9 | Vascular | 5 |
| Vascular | 8 | Pericardial effusion | 3 | |
| Pericardial effusion | 2 | |||
| Malmborg et al. [18] | Groin hematoma | 2 | Groin hematoma | 1 |
| Phrenic nerve injury | 2 | |||
| Pokushalov et al. [14] | Phrenic nerve injury | 3 | ||
| Total patients | 65 | 50 | ||
∗As per the study, groin site complications included vascular pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, device-related infection, hematoma, puncture site hemorrhage, and groin pain. ∗∗As per the study, other cardiac complications included atrial septal defects, coronary artery disease, and pericarditis.