Hidden Slow Conduction Ablation for Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation: Unmasking the Arrhythmogenic Substrate (Unmask-AF)

NCT06657170 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 212

Last updated 2024-12-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Over recent years, pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures have demonstrated progressively enhanced efficacy and safety, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of atrial fibrillation ablations, not only as a first-line treatment but also for repeat procedures. However, there is still a notable lack of randomized evidence in this area, which limits guidance and decision-making in clinical practice. Recently, the investigators found that employing short-coupled atrial extrastimuli revealed highly fragmented or double atrial evoked electrograms (EGMs) in AF patients, termed as hidden slow conduction (HSC). Identifying HSC sites may provide insight into the early identification of the arrhythmogenic substrate, offering a potential target for ablation This multi-center, prospective, randomized, controlled trial will include two arms: one investigational (PV reconnection + HSC) and one control (PV reconnection). All the subjects will be followed for 12 months after the ablation procedure.

The aim of our study is to investigate the impact of ablating HSC sites on arrhythmia recurrence in repeat ablation procedures. The hypothesis is that the additional ablation of HSC zones may improve the freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence after repeat ablation procedure.

Conditions

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Pulmunary veins reconnection plus hidden slow conduction ablation

Ablation of pulmonary veins reconnections plus the search and ablation of hidden slow conductions sites (HSC) in the left atrium. HSC sites are defined as EGMs showing highly fragmented or double electrograms in response atrial triple extrastimulus, presenting normal or fractionated electrogram in the sinus rhythm. After checking for PV's conduction breakthroughs, point-by point ablation targeting HSC-EGMs will be performed. The end point for HSC+ ablation will be reached with loss of local capture at a given lesion, pacing from the ablation catheter at high output (10V·2ms).

PROCEDURE

Pulmunary veins (PV) reconnection ablation only

Each vein will be re-assessed by observing PV potentials along the PV ostia and by pacing from the distal bipole of the ablation catheter (10mA at 2ms) within the lesion set with failed capture of the left atrium. In case of PVs reconnection touch-up applications will be performed at the earliest potential site, identified by comparing far-field atrial EGM to near-field local EGM timing, until isolation will be achieved (entrance and exit block).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Centro Medico Teknon

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-12-31
Primary Completion
2026-09-30
Completion
2027-09-30

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06657170 on ClinicalTrials.gov