[Anesthetic management of an emergency open-heart surgery for entrapment of a circular mapping catheter by chordae tendineae with mitral valve damage undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation].

The entrapment of a circular mapping catheter by chordae tendineae during catheter ablation is a very rare but serious complication requiring, in some cases, surgical treatment. We report a case that required open heart surgery for catheter removal and mitral valve repair. A 79-year-old man underwent catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in other hospital. During the operation, he moved accidentally, despite circular mapping catheter was in the left atrium. The circular mapping catheter was uncontrolable due to resistance interfering with catheter removal, and the patient was brought to our hospital for open heart surgery to remove catheter. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with midazolam, fentanyl. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed to monitor catheter position and mitral valve condition. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed that circular catheter tip was located adjacent to the posterior mitral leaflet and the presence of moderate mitral valve regurgitation. Circular catheter tip was entraped by chordae tendineae and caused posterior mitral leaflet damage. Intracardiac foreign body removal and posterior mitral leaflet repair were completed uneventfully under cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful. It is expected that catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation will increase in number. This rare complication of catheter ablation may become a threat to cardiologist, cardiac surgeon and anesthesiologist.