Tests superior vena cava isolation in people with recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Tests a heart procedure in adults whose atrial fibrillation returned after prior ablation.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: SVC-isolation in Redo-AF Ablation With Isolated PV
Key facts
- Where
- Barcelona, SpainSee the site
Where in Spain
- Heart Institute, Teknon Medical CentreBarcelona, SpainNo longer taking part
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
- Centro Medico Teknon
- Trial code
- NCT07112716
- Record updated
- 8 August 2025
- Original description
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the population and is often caused by arrhythmogenic foci located in the pulmonary veins. For this reason, the first attempt in atrial fibrillation catheter ablation procedures is to isolate these structures (the procedure is called indeed "pulmonary vein isolation"), which results in abolishment of arrhythmia recurrence in up to 85% of patients at short and mid-term follow-up. However, a subset of patients experience an atrial tachyarrhytmia recurrence and a second catheter ablation procedure has to be performed. If pulmary vein isolation is proven to be durable, other arrhythmogenic foci could be implicated in arrhythmia recurrence. Among extra-pulmonary vein foci, superior vena cava has been described as the most frequently involved in atrial fibrillation initiation. Therefore, its ablation could result in improved freedom from atrial fibrillation episodes during follow-up. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of empirical superior vena cava isolation in terms of arrhythmia-free survival in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation recurrence despite durable pulmonary vein isolation.Read full original descriptionShow less
Superior Vena Cava Isolation With Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients With Recurrent Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and Durably Isolated Pulmonary Veins: A Multicenter Study
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the population and is often caused by arrhythmogenic foci located in the pulmonary veins. For this reason, the first attempt in atrial fibrillation catheter ablation procedures is to isolate these structures (the procedure is called indeed "pulmonary vein isolation"), which results in abolishment of arrhythmia recurrence in up to 85% of patients at short and mid-term follow-up. However, a subset of patients experience an atrial tachyarrhytmia recurrence and a second catheter ablation procedure has to be performed. If pulmary vein isolation is proven to be durable, other arrhythmogenic foci could be implicated in arrhythmia recurrence. Among extra-pulmonary vein foci, superior vena cava has been described as the most frequently involved in atrial fibrillation initiation. Therefore, its ablation could result in improved freedom from atrial fibrillation episodes during follow-up. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of empirical superior vena cava isolation in terms of arrhythmia-free survival in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation recurrence despite durable pulmonary vein isolation.
Inclusion: Age > 18 years; Confirmed diagnosis of recurrent paroxysmal AF; Previous transcatheter PVI-only procedure for AF; Evidence of persistently isolated pulmonary veins at repeat procedure; Signed informed consent.
Exclusion: Concomitant investigation treatments; Age < 18 years; Pregnancy; Medical, geographical and social factors that make study participation impractical, and inability to give written informed consent. Patient's refusal to participate in the study; Lesions other than PVI performed during first procedure; Persistent AF at recurrence; Evidence of pulmonary vein reconnection at repeat procedure; Any additional lesion performed beyond SVC isolation during repeat procedure (in the empirical SVC isolation group only).