Stroke coagulation cascade

Pharmacologic techniques counteract the propensity for thrombosis formation by dampening the coagulation cascade. Appropriately selected therapy can dramatically reduce the incidence of VTE after hip or knee replacement, general surgery, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. 

RF catheter ablation is complicated by thromboembolism in about 0.6% of patients (23). The risk of stroke from RF ablation may be higher in paroxysmal AF patients with prior TIA (24). As reflected by elevated plasma D-dimer levels, RF ablation has a thrombogenic effect that persists through the first 48 hours after the procedure (25). Activation of the coagulation cascade in RF ablation procedures is not related to the delivery of RF energy, but is related to the placement of intravascular catheters and to the duration of the ablation procedure (26,27). Furthermore, RF lesions themselves have been shown to be thrombogenic (28). The risk of a thromboembolic complication is higher for left-sided ablations... 

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