Epicardial Approach in Recurred Atrial Fibrillation

NCT ID: NCT02979847

Last Updated: 2020-11-17

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-06-29

Study Completion Date

2020-11-11

Brief Summary

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We aimed to assess the benefit of epicardial mapping and ablation in patients with recurred atrial tachyarrhythmias after single procedure for atrial fibrillation. We hypothesize that both endocardial and epicardial approach is superior to only endocardial approach with regards to clinical recurrence. Participants are randomized into a hybrid approach or an endocardial approach.

Detailed Description

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Atrial electrical activity during atrial fibrillation depends on the distribution of myocardial tissue. Circumferential and longitudinal muscular bundles are multi-level crossing across the entire thickness of atrial wall. At radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, transmural lesions are important to reduce the arrhythmogenic substrates and to prevent recurrence of scar-related atrial tachyarrhythmias.

Radiofrequency ablation applying electric current depends on impedance between patch and the tip electrode of a catheter. Increased impedance results in increased tissue heating, following an irreversible damage. However, overheating limits to create deep lesion formation because an increased impedance impedes the energy delivery to tissue. Furthermore, prolonged ablation time may result in severe complications, such as steam pop, cardiac perforation, and char formation. Therefore, both endocardial and epicardial ablations may be more effective to create a transmural lesion compared with only endocardial ablation.

Organized atrial tachycardia is common in patient who underwent ablation for atrial fibrillation. Activation mapping for atrial tachycardia is critical for ablating an isthmus. However, when the amplitude of endocardial potentials after previous ablations is decreased as system does not detect, summation of data from endocardium may give us wrong information about atrial tachycardia. Data from epicardial potential during tachycardia may be helpful to terminate a tachycardia.

We aimed to assess the benefit of epicardial mapping and ablation in patients with recurred atrial tachyarrhythmias after single procedure for atrial fibrillation. We hypothesize that both endocardial and epicardial approach is superior to only endocardial approach with regards to clinical recurrence. Participants are randomized into a hybrid approach or an endocardial approach.

Conditions

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Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Keywords

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persistent atrial fibrillation catheter ablation epicardial mapping and ablation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Randomized
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Treated

hybrid approach (epicardial and subsequent endocardial mappings and ablations)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

hybrid approach

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Before transseptal puncture, epicardial puncture is performed through subxyphoid approach. Atrial epicardial potentials are recorded using multi-electrode catheter, leading an activation map for atrial tachycardia and map for continuous fractionated atrial electrograms during atrial fibrillation. Endocardial potentials are also recorded in the same fashion. Procedural endpoint is a tachycardia termination or a noninducibility of tachycardia.

Control

conventional endocardial approach

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

conventional endocardial approach

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Atrial endocardial potentials are recorded using multi-electrode catheter, leading an activation map for atrial tachycardia and map for continuous fractionated atrial electrograms during atrial fibrillation. Procedural endpoint is a tachycardia termination or a noninducibility of tachycardia.

Interventions

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hybrid approach

Before transseptal puncture, epicardial puncture is performed through subxyphoid approach. Atrial epicardial potentials are recorded using multi-electrode catheter, leading an activation map for atrial tachycardia and map for continuous fractionated atrial electrograms during atrial fibrillation. Endocardial potentials are also recorded in the same fashion. Procedural endpoint is a tachycardia termination or a noninducibility of tachycardia.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

conventional endocardial approach

Atrial endocardial potentials are recorded using multi-electrode catheter, leading an activation map for atrial tachycardia and map for continuous fractionated atrial electrograms during atrial fibrillation. Procedural endpoint is a tachycardia termination or a noninducibility of tachycardia.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patients with persistent AF (AF episode lasting \> 7 days)
* Patients with symptomatic AF that is refractory to at least one antiarrhythmic medication
* Patients with recurrent arrhythmia after prior catheter ablation
* Patients undergoing a repeat ablation procedure for AF
* At least one episode of AF must have been documented by ECG, Holter, loop recorder, telemetry, trans telephonic monitoring (TTM), or implantable device within last 2 years of enrollment in this investigation
* Patients must be able and willing to provide written informed consent to participate in this investigation

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with permanent AF;
* Permanent AF will be defined as a sustained episode lasting more than 1 years and sinus rhythm never be observed .
* Patients for whom cardioversion or sinus rhythm will never be attempted/pursued;
* Patients with AF felt to be secondary to an obvious reversible cause
* Patients with contraindications to systemic anticoagulation with heparin or warfarin or a direct thrombin inhibitor;
* Moderate to severe valvular disease
* Patients who are pregnant. Pregnancy will be assessed by patients informing the physicians.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Korea University Anam Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Young-Hoon Kim, MD

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Young-Hoon Kim, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Korea University

Locations

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Korea University Medical Center Anam hospital

Seoul, , South Korea

Site Status

Countries

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South Korea

References

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Eckstein J, Zeemering S, Linz D, Maesen B, Verheule S, van Hunnik A, Crijns H, Allessie MA, Schotten U. Transmural conduction is the predominant mechanism of breakthrough during atrial fibrillation: evidence from simultaneous endo-epicardial high-density activation mapping. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2013 Apr;6(2):334-41. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.113.000342. Epub 2013 Mar 19.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 23512204 (View on PubMed)

Lee G, Kumar S, Teh A, Madry A, Spence S, Larobina M, Goldblatt J, Brown R, Atkinson V, Moten S, Morton JB, Sanders P, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Epicardial wave mapping in human long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation: transient rotational circuits, complex wavefronts, and disorganized activity. Eur Heart J. 2014 Jan;35(2):86-97. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/eht267. Epub 2013 Aug 8.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 23935092 (View on PubMed)

Lee G, Spence S, Teh A, Goldblatt J, Larobina M, Atkinson V, Brown R, Morton JB, Sanders P, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. High-density epicardial mapping of the pulmonary vein-left atrial junction in humans: insights into mechanisms of pulmonary vein arrhythmogenesis. Heart Rhythm. 2012 Feb;9(2):258-64. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2011.09.010. Epub 2011 Sep 9.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21907170 (View on PubMed)

Pak HN, Hwang C, Lim HE, Kim JS, Kim YH. Hybrid epicardial and endocardial ablation of persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation: a new approach for difficult cases. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2007 Sep;18(9):917-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2007.00882.x. Epub 2007 Jun 16.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 17573836 (View on PubMed)

Verheule S, Tuyls E, Gharaviri A, Hulsmans S, van Hunnik A, Kuiper M, Serroyen J, Zeemering S, Kuijpers NH, Schotten U. Loss of continuity in the thin epicardial layer because of endomysial fibrosis increases the complexity of atrial fibrillatory conduction. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2013 Feb;6(1):202-11. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.112.975144. Epub 2013 Feb 6.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 23390124 (View on PubMed)

Eckstein J, Schotten U. Rotors and breakthroughs as three-dimensional perpetuators of atrial fibrillation. Cardiovasc Res. 2012 Apr 1;94(1):8-9. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvs093. Epub 2012 Feb 13. No abstract available.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 22331500 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2016AN0127

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id