Iatrogenic Hypoxemia and Atrial Septal Defect Due to Electrical Storm Ablation After Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Case Report

Ryan Wang; Darcy J Mainville; Alexandra Vacaru; Ioana Pasca

doi:10.7759/cureus.39418

Iatrogenic Hypoxemia and Atrial Septal Defect Due to Electrical Storm Ablation After Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Case Report

Cureus. 2023 May 23;15(5):e39418. doi: 10.7759/cureus.39418. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Ryan Wang¹, Darcy J Mainville², Alexandra Vacaru¹, Ioana Pasca^{3

2}

Affiliations

¹ Anesthesiology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, USA.
² Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, USA.
³ Anesthesiology, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, USA.

Abstract

A 59-year-old male with an implantable cardiac defibrillator, left ventricular assist device, and refractory ventricular tachycardia presented with hypoxemia due to a post-ablation iatrogenic atrial septal defect. Left ventricular assist devices generate pressure gradients that may exacerbate intracardiac shunts and can precipitate significant hypoxemia.

Keywords: arterial blood gas; atrial septal defect; catheter ablation; hypoxemia; implantable cardiac defibrillator; left ventricular assist device; transesophageal echocardiogram; ventricular tachycardia.

Publication types

Case Reports