Safety and Utility of Noninvasive Ventilation During Deep Sedation for Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

The safety of deep sedation during atrial fibrillation ablation procedure has been described, but in this case series, a lower impact of NIV on arterial blood gas tensions and hematic pH balance was observed. Using NIV in this context, as in others, it is possible to reduce the flow of oxygen adminis- tered to the patient during the procedure and maintain better respiratory dynamics. These conditions allowed us to maintain effective CO2 elimination with minimum impact on the pH, reducing the risk of hemodynamic, respiratory, or neurological problems resulting from improper ventilation without patient discomfort or risk. Furthermore, during the procedure, patient safety was ensured by the ventilator, which allowed a continuous control of tidal volume, amount of ventilation lost to leak, and effective minute ventilation.