Catheter ablation is an established treatment option in patients suffering from symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias. However, despite technical advances, catheter ablation is still associated with an incidence of severe complications of up to 5%. Therefore, electrophysiologists should be trained to prevent complications, maintain a high index of suspicion to recognize them quickly and implement necessary treatment strategies. This article reviews the incidence, risk factors, management and preventative strategies of the major complications associated with ablation procedures such as transseptal puncture-related risks, cardiac tamponade, aortic puncture and air embolism.
