Embolic Stroke After Pulsed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has rapidly gained adoption as a nonthermal ablation modality for atrial fibrillation. While considered safer regarding collateral tissue injury, ischemic stroke after PFA has recently emerged as a potential complication. CASE SUMMARY: -VA scores [congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke/TIA, vascular disease, age 65-74 years]) who developed ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack within hours to 1 week after PFA. All cases demonstrated multiple small infarcts on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Procedures involved different PFA systems (PulseSelect, FARAPULSE, VARIPULSE), with some including adjunctive radiofrequency ablation or sheath exchange. Clinical outcomes varied from complete recovery to residual mild deficits. DISCUSSION: These cases suggest that ischemic stroke after PFA is embolic in nature. Possible causes include air embolism introduced through the sheath or catheter, microbubble formation at the electrode, and given recent reports of temperature elevations at the electrode even during PFA, thrombus formation may also be a possible mechanism. TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: Ischemic stroke can occur after PFA despite its nonthermal mechanism. Multiple small infarcts suggest an embolic rather than an atherothrombotic etiology, which might be characteristic of cerebral infarctions associated with PFA. Further research is needed regarding ischemic stroke associated with PFA.