What are the risks involved with catheter ablation?

Mild to serious: This depends in large part on what exactly is being ablated. Ablation in the right heart is usually a lower risk than in the left heart due to risks of clots in the arterial circulation. All procedures include risk of bleeding, blood clots in a vessel or the heart, and perforation. Atrial fibrillation ablation also poses risk for esophageal or pulmonary vein injury.

It Varies: In general it is very low risk. There are different types of ablations with varying degrees of risk. Atrial fibrillation ablation tends to carry some of the highest risk of any catheter ablation. Af ablations have a risk of death of 0.15%, tamponade 1.3%, pseudoaneursym 0.9%, stroke 0.2%, TIA 0.7%, pv stenosis 0.3, and ae-fistula 0.04%. There is a small risk of pacemaker in some types as well.