Clinical Research Directory

Sympathetic Ablation for Ventricular Arrhythmias

Enrolled patients will undergo an acute procedure in which a catheter is inserted near the heart to ablate a sympathetic nerve, reducing signals that trigger ventricular arrhythmias.

Non-Invasive Programmed Stimulation (NIPS) to Guide the Subsequent VT Therapeutic Strategies

The aim of this study is to define the importance of non-invasive programmed stimulation (NIPS) in risk stratification of ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrence after catheter ablation and to determine the optimal treatment strategy. The primary objective is to establish whether a new VT ablation based on NIPS inducibility will reduce the risk of VT recurrence compared to antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

Safety and Performance Assessment of the Sphere-9™ Catheter and Affera™ Ablation System for the Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia (Sphere-9 VT EFS)

Sphere-9 VT EFS is a prospective, multi-center, non-randomized, unblinded feasibility study. Adult subjects with recurrent, sustained, scar-related monomorphic ventricular tachycardia will be enrolled and treated with the Sphere-9 Catheter and Affera Ablation System.

Predicting Severe Cardiac Arrhythmias in the Perioperative Period Using AI-ECG

During the preoperative examination, in addition to the standard examination recommended before high-risk cardiac surgeries, a digital single-lead ECG is recorded using portable CardioQUARK devices. This ECG is analyzed for time, amplitude, and frequency parameters-more than 200 parameters per cardiac cycle. Additionally, the available parameters of a standard 12-lead ECG recording are determined. All parameters of both single-lead and 12-lead ECGs will be included in a multivariate regression analysis to determine the optimal method for predicting atrial fibrillation, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, and conduction abnormalities in the perioperative period after high-risk cardiac procedures. The study will include patients undergoing high-risk cardiac surgeries, such as those on the heart, aorta, esophagus, pancreas, liver, and lungs, as well as high-risk oncological surgeries. A partial analysis will also be performed depending on the type of intervention. Rhythm and conduction disturbances will be recorded during surgery, as well as in the postoperative period, using ECG monitors, 24-hour ECG monitoring, and repeated recordings of a standard ECG when complaints or signs of unstable hemodynamics arise

Electrophysiological Registry Duesseldorf

This registry at University Hospital Düsseldorf collects retrospective and prospective (from 2019 onward) data on patients undergoing electrophysiological studies (EPS), catheter ablation, and electrical cardioversion. The primary goal is to evaluate safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of these standard procedures in routine care. Data will be used for quality assurance and to identify prognostic patient- and procedure-related factors.

Myocarditis Causing Premature Ventricular Contractions:Insights From the MAVERIC Registry

To assess potential link between unrecognized myocardial inflammation (myocarditis) and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) associated with and without reduced Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) through comprehensive diagnostic work up.

Ventricular Tachycardia Cohort

The goal of this observational study is to detect the long-term risk of a composite endpoint event in adult patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) who are managed with catheter ablation or non-ablation management (including modern drug therapy and/or ICD therapy).

Clinical Study on the Efficiency of Rapid Arrhythmia Mapping Using EasyStars™ High Density Mapping Catheter Applications

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical feasibility, safety, and surgical characteristics of the EasyStars™ High Density Mapping Catheterin in patients with complex arrhythmias.

Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Ventricular Arrhythmias

Ventricular arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms that arise from the bottom chambers of the heart. They can cause debilitating symptoms when they occur intermittently (these are called premature ventricular ectopics or PVCs) and can be life-threatening when they occur continuously (called ventricular tachycardia or VT). These are the most common causes of sudden cardiac death, especially in patients with pre-existing heart disease. They can be a result of overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, and in extreme circumstances, surgery to cut the nerve may be needed. A novel approach to target this nervous system using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) machine has successfully treated arrhythmias that come from the top chambers of the heart (atrial fibrillation). An ear clip is applied for an hour per day connected to a device (smaller than a phone) that can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (that counteracts the sympathetic nervous system). This is called Low-Level Tragus Stimulation (LLTS). Because it has been used for epilepsy for decades, we have evidence of a very high safety profile and tolerability. We plan to enrol 72 patients, 34 with many PVCs and 38 with VT, and randomise them to either first receive LLTS or first receive sham treatment (this will appear the same to the patient and researchers but without any meaningful vibrations being emitted in the sham group). Each patient will then swap over to the other treatment. We will compare whether the LLTS reduces the amount of ventricular arrhythmias during compared to the amount during the sham treatment period. We will use Holter monitors to measure the amount of PVCs after each period in the PVC group. VT patients have an implantable defibrillator that continuously monitors for VT episodes in this group. We will only enrol adults who can give informed consent, and study participation will not interfere with a patient's clinical treatment.

Complex Arrhythmia Registry

This is a prospective, non-randomized, multicenter observational registry study designed to systematically evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of catheter ablation for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in Chinese patients.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery as Second-line Therapy for Ventricular Tachycardia

The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy and safety of treating recurrent sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (sVT) after prior Catheter Ablation (CA) in patients with Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) between re-do of conventional endocardial CA and Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR).

Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Through Radiation Therapy Consortium: Concept Description of an Observational Retrospective Multicentric Trial

Recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia in patients with structural heart disease. Despite the use of antiarrhythmic drugs, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and radiofrequency catheter ablation, VT recurrence rates remain high-reaching up to 66% in some series. For patients with refractory VT who are not candidates for further ablation or surgical interventions, there is a significant unmet need for novel, effective, and non-invasive treatment options. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has recently emerged as a promising approach for treating ventricular arrhythmias through a technique known as stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR). Preliminary studies, including a phase I/II clinical trial, have demonstrated a substantial reduction in VT burden-up to 99.9%-following treatment, with an acceptable safety profile. Reported adverse events have included manageable pericardial effusion, radiation-induced pericarditis, and pneumonitis. The growing body of evidence supports STAR as a feasible and effective alternative for selected patients with treatment-resistant VT. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiotherapy as a non-invasive ablation technique for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with refractory arrhythmias in whom conventional therapies have failed. This is a retrospective observational study aimed at comparing outcomes between patients who received stereotactic radioablation and those who did not. A matched-pair analysis will be used to adjust for baseline clinical characteristics and ensure comparability between groups.

VT ART Consortium: Radioablation for Ventricular Tachycardia

The overall objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiation therapy in the non invasive ablation of ventricular tachycardia refractory to any other type treatment.

Computational Cardiac Imaging Analysis to Guide Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Procedures (AI-VT)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes (clinical efficacy and safety) of using supplemental non-invasive computational ECG and cardiac imaging analysis tools to help guide ablation of ventricular tachycardia.

Evolution of Intracardiac Electrograms Recorded by Left Bundle Branch Pacing Lead in Patients With ICD or CRT-D

The goal of this observational study is to investigate the changes of LBB EGM during daily activities and overdrive pacing at the time of peri-implantation and up to 6-month follow-ups of ICD/CRT-D patients. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does the LBBP lead can provide accurate, stable, and valid EGM for ICD/CRT-D sensing and detection of ventricular tachyarrhythmia events? In each patient intracardiac EGMs of LBBP lead will be collected by ambulatory Holter monitor at the time of peri-implantation and up to 6-month follow-up. EGM collection will be collected at resting and walking conditions and overdrive pacing.

Cardiac RadiothErapy for VEntricular Tachycardia II

Steoreotactic therapy radioablation has become a standard of care option for patients with therapy-refractory ventricular tachycardia, yet long-term outcome is lacking. The objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes, both efficacy and safety, after STAR in patients with therapy-refractory ventricular tachycardia.