Longer Chest Tube Use to Prevent Irregular Heartbeat After Heart Surgery
Tests a longer-lasting chest tube near the heart in adults after heart surgery.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Prolonged Chest Tube Treatment to Reduce Rates of Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiac Surgery
Key facts
- Where
- Lund, SwedenSee the site
Where in Sweden
- Lund University HospitalLund, SwedenTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Region Skane
- Trial code
- NCT06800781
- Record updated
- 29 April 2026
- Original description
Evacuation of pericardial blood by posterior pericardiotomy or use of a posterior pericardial chest tube lowers postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) rates after cardiac surgery by 45-68%. Although it cannot be generalized due to trial undersizing, posterior pericardial chest tube treatment may be a superior alternative to pericardiotomy, given its low risk of procedural complications.Read full original descriptionShow less
Prolonged Posterior Pericardial Chest Tube Treatment to Reduce Rates of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiac Surgery
Evacuation of pericardial blood by posterior pericardiotomy or use of a posterior pericardial chest tube lowers postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) rates after cardiac surgery by 45-68%. Although it cannot be generalized due to trial undersizing, posterior pericardial chest tube treatment may be a superior alternative to pericardiotomy, given its low risk of procedural complications.
This interventional multicenter trial will assess whether prolonged treatment with a posterior pericardial chest tube lowers POAF rates after cardiac surgery. Investigators will randomize 624 patients undergoing routine cardiac surgery at Nordic sites 1:1 to receive a posterior pericardial chest tube as adjunct to standard care for up to 3 postoperative days or standard care alone. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with POAF up to 7 days post-surgery; the study will be powered to detect a relative risk reduction of 30% in the intervention arm. Secondary outcomes are AF burden; days with chest tubes and their output; proportion of patients with POAF up to 14 days post-surgery; direct current conversions during hospital admission; length of ICU/hospital stay; postoperative complications, mortality, ischemic stroke, and major bleeding at 30/90 days and 1/3/5 years; and quality of life/postoperative recovery at 90 days and 1 year. This trial may provide quality clinical evidence supporting the adoption of a simple method to prevent POAF, thus reducing healthcare costs.
Inclusion: Age ≥ 18 years; Undergoing non-emergent surgery (>24 hours between decision to operate and surgical procedure) with coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, aortic surgery without the use of circulatory arrest, or any combination of these procedures; Able to give written informed consent.
Exclusion: History of electrophysiological interventions or treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs due to arrhythmias other than AF; Pre- or postoperative prophylactic treatment with amiodarone; Aortic surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest; Previous cardiac surgery; Previous radiation of the chest due to malignancy; Ongoing treatment with immunosuppressants, including oral corticosteroids; History of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter; Ongoing infection at time of surgery; Existing pacemaker, ICD, or CRT device without a functional atrial lead; Patient already included in another interventional clinical trial; Patient listed abroad, which would render them to be lost to follow-up after discharge; Patient does not understand study information given in the local language or, for other reasons, is deemed unfit to participate according to the investigators.