Left Inferior Pulmonary Vein Thrombosis and Secondary Lung Infarction Following Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation: A Diagnostic Challenge

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is a common procedure, but it can be complicated by pulmonary vein thrombosis (PVT), a rare and underdiagnosed entity.We report the case of a 39-year-old female presenting with hemoptysis on day four post-ablation.The initial chest computed tomography angiography was interpreted as isolated alveolar hemorrhage, but the follow-up examination at day 31 revealed complete left inferior PVT associated with a secondary pulmonary infarction.Given the nonspecific clinical presentation of post-ablation respiratory symptoms, systematic radiological evaluation of the pulmonary veins with adequate vascular contrast enhancement is essential to rule out PVT, a rare yet potentially grave complication, and prevent catastrophic systemic thromboembolic events or irreversible parenchymal damage.