What are the risks and recovery expectations for PFA?

Risks are generally lower than thermal ablation and include vascular access complications (hematoma, pseudoaneurysm), pericardial effusion (<1%), stroke (<0.5%), and transient phrenic nerve palsy (rare). Esophageal injury and atrioesophageal fistula are extremely rare due to non-thermal mechanism. Recovery is 1–2 weeks: patients resume light activities within 2–3 days, avoid heavy lifting for a week, and may experience mild chest discomfort or palpitations during the blanking period (first 3 months). Long-term success rates for paroxysmal AFib exceed 80% at one year.