Comparison of Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Strategies in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Endocardial-Epicardial Radiofrequency Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

This is a prospective multicenter randomized open-label study aiming to assess whether endocardial or endocardial-epicardial ablation is superior to the standard approach (i.e., Antiarrhythmic drugs) in achievement of long-term ventricular tachycardia (VT) treatment success.

Comparison of Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Strategies in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (EPI VT) is a prospective multicenter randomized controlled study that is planned as a pilot study to include 100 patients. The aim of our study is to assess whether endocardial or endocardial-epicardial ablation is superior to the standard approach (i.e., Antiarrhythmic drugs) in the achievement of long-term ventricular tachycardia (VT) treatment success. Patients will be stratified into two groups depending on the history of taking antiarrhythmic medications (AAD) and each group will be further randomized 1:1 for endocardial and epicardial ablation vs endocardial only ablation in group who failed AAD. And in the group who didn't fail AADs patients will be randomized 1:1:1 into 3 groups: endocardial and epicardial ablation, endocardial only ablation or antiarrhythmic medications. Follow up planned at 3, 6 and 12 months, if VT recurrence is noted, repeated procedure (according to initially allocated group) or adjustment of medications (if AAD group) will be performed. Follow up at 3, 6 and 12 months is also planned after a repeat procedure/ medications adjustment.

Primary endpoints include freedom from documented VT episodes (> 30 seconds) at 12 months after the first ablation procedure or on antiarrhythmic medication and freedom from documented VT episodes (>30 seconds) at 12 months after the second ablation procedure or on two antiarrhythmics combined.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
• Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
• Male or female, aged 18 or greater
• Patient with ≥ 1 episode of VT (i.e., Sustained VT more than 30 seconds or VT with any ICD therapy)
• Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, EF less than 50%, documented history of CAD

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with ventricular fibrillation.

• Reversible causes of VT.

• Patients with contraindications to systemic anticoagulation with heparin or coumadin, direct thrombin inhibitor or factor Xa inhibitors.

• Patients with prior procedure involving opening the pericardium or entering the pericardial space (e.g., CABG, heart transplantation, valve surgery) were adhesions are suspected

• Any prior ablation for the ventricles or any prior epicardial ablation

• Documented history of myocardial infarction within 1 month prior to the planned study intervention

• Documented symptomatic carotid disease defined as > 70% stenosis or > 50% stenosis with symptoms

• Any history of thoracic radiation with the exception of localized radiation treatment for breast cancer

• Active pericarditis

• Active endocarditis\Any documented history or autoimmune disease associated with pericarditis

• Thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 x 109/L)

• Body Mass Index (BMI > 45)

• Patients who are pregnant.

  1. Pregnancy will be assessed by urine pregnancy testing prior to the ablation procedure