Catheter Versus Thoracoscopic Surgical Ablation Strategy in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

NCT ID: NCT01385358

Last Updated: 2011-06-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-04-30

Study Completion Date

2013-10-31

Brief Summary

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Atrial fibrillation(AF)is the commonest arrhythmia worldwide and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality, posing an increasing public health burden. Restoration of sinus rhythm (SR) is the preferred strategy in symptomatic patients but outcomes with anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) are poor. The alternatives to AAD are two-fold.Firstly, catheter ablation (CA)- a technique that uses catheters (thin tubes) to deliver small 'heat lesions' to areas of the heart to eliminate AF. Secondly, surgical ablation, where multiple incisions are made in the atria to restore SR. Long term results from this traditional surgical approach are excellent however as it is technically difficult open-heart procedure with significant morbidity and mortality, it is seldom used.

CA is very effective in restoring SR in the early stages of AF when it is a paroxysmal (intermittent) rhythm disturbance. If not treated at this stage AF inevitably evolves into a more persistent or permanent state and becomes more difficult to treat with CA. Therefore, the optimum approach to treat patients with symptomatic long standing persistent AF has yet to be determined and remains a key area of on-going research.

New minimally invasive, thoracoscopically assisted surgical(closed-heart)approaches have recently developed which ablate a wide area around the pulmonary veins, and may offer advantages over the best current strategies in CA. There are also clear advantages for patients with greater safety and less discomfort when compared to traditional surgical open-heart procedures.

At present there is small amount of encouraging data on this thoracoscopic surgical technique but there is no data comparing these two modalities of treatment in persistent AF patients. The investigators therefore wish to prospectively investigate the safety and efficacy of this thoracoscopic surgical technique and compare with CA in this group of patients. MRI scanning will also be used to visualise the effects of ablation by analysis of scar formation.

The study hypothesises that thoracoscopics surgical ablation is a

Detailed Description

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This will be a pilot, prospective, observational study of catheter ablation compared with thoracoscopically assisted, surgical ablation strategies using a case control design.

The study population will be patients between the ages of 18 and 80 with symptomatic long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (≥1≤5 years) and good left ventricular function where at least one anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) has failed, or where such drugs are contraindicated or not tolerated.

Thoracoscopically Assisted Surgical Ablation Group Patients assigned to this group will undergo minimally invasive, thoracoscopically assisted, surgical ablation to isolate the pulmonary veins (PVI) using a radiofrequency (RF) clamp device. This will include ganglionated plexi ablation +/- LAA excision/exclusion.

Catheter Ablation Group Patients will undergo pulmonary vein isolation, linear and electrogram based ablation.

Recurrences Only one redo procedure is allowed for atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrences in the 12 month follow-up period.

Conditions

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Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Thoracoscopically Assisted Surgical Ablation

This arm will have an index thoracoscopically assisted surgical ablation.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Thoracoscopically Assisted Surgical Ablation

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Surgical AF ablation including pulmonary vein isolation, gananglionated plexi ablation +/- LAA excision/exclusion.

Catheter Ablation

This is an active comparator arm where study subjects will undergo conventional catheter ablation.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Catheter Ablation

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

In this arm, study subjects will undergo conventional catheter ablation as their index procedure. This will include pulmonary vein isolation, linear and electrogram based ablation.

Interventions

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Thoracoscopically Assisted Surgical Ablation

Surgical AF ablation including pulmonary vein isolation, gananglionated plexi ablation +/- LAA excision/exclusion.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Catheter Ablation

In this arm, study subjects will undergo conventional catheter ablation as their index procedure. This will include pulmonary vein isolation, linear and electrogram based ablation.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Age ≥18 years and ≤ 80
2. Symptomatic persistent AF (≥1≤5 years), refractory to at least 1 AAD and/or DCCV
3. Patient is legally competent and willing and able to sign informed consent form
4. Patient is willing and able to adhere to follow up visit protocols for the duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria

1. Left ventricular ejection fraction \< 40%
2. Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (contraindicates MRI imaging)
3. Contraindication to anticoagulation
4. Thrombus in the LA despite anticoagulation
5. CVA within the previous 6 months
6. Previous thoracic \& cardiac surgery (including interventions for AF such as Cox-maze procedure)
7. Prior LA catheter ablation with the intention to treat AF
8. Prior AV nodal ablation
9. Patients actively participating in another research study will be not be permitted to enrol. Patients who have been involved with other research studies will be able to participate after a minimum period of 3 months after completion of prior study follow up.
10. Co-morbid condition that in opinion of investigator confers undue risk of GA or thoracoscopic surgery.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

Principal Investigators

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Tom Wong, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

Locations

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Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

London, Greater London, United Kingdom

Site Status

Countries

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United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

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11/SC/0032

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2011CI004B

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id