Real-Time Intracardiac Echocardiography for Ventricular Arrhythmia Ablation
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
- Where
- Basel and Bern, SwitzerlandSee the 2 sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 70 people, planned
- Started
- 25 Mar 2026
- Expected to end
- 30 Jun 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- PVC and VT ablation with ICE
- PVC and VT ablation without ICE
- Record updated
- 1 April 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
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Who can take part
- Patients (≥18y) undergoing a premature ventricular contraction or ventricular tachycardia ablation
Who cannot take part
- Origin of ventricular arrhythmia with high likelihood in the right ventricular outflow tract (left-bundle-inferior axis, >V4 transition precordially)
- Congenital heart disease
- Primary epicardial ablation planned
- Presence of a mechanical tricuspid valve prosthesis
- Unwilling or unable to comply fully with study procedures and followup
Where in Switzerland
- University Hospital BaselBasel, SwitzerlandContact: Patrick Badertscher, MDTaking people
- Inselspital, Bern University HospitalBern, SwitzerlandContact: Boldizsar Kovacs, MDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
This study is investigating whether using ultrasound directly inside the heart during ablation of heart rhythm disorders in the ventricles can reduce radiation exposure for patients.
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During an ablation, catheters are guided through the heart to treat the abnormal electrical signals. Usually, X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy) is used to see where the catheters are, which exposes both patients and hospital staff to radiation.
The study is randomized and controlled: half of the participants will have the ablation with ultrasound inside the heart, and the other half will have the standard ablation without ultrasound during the procedure. The main goal is to compare the amount of X-ray time used during the procedure. Secondary goals are to look at safety, effectiveness, and the total procedure time.
Patients with premature ventricular contractions or ventricular tachycardia can take part. A total of 70 people will be included, 35 in each group. Using ultrasound inside the heart makes it possible to see the catheters and heart structures directly, so many steps can be done without X-rays. This could make ablations safer and reduce radiation exposure.
The study is being carried out at Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and at University Hospital Basel. All steps are standardized and data are collected carefully. The results will show whether ultrasound during ablations can significantly reduce radiation and make ablations more efficient and safer.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Use of SOUNDSTAR® ICE CatheterTreatment being tested
Use of SOUNDSTAR® ICE Catheter for premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation
Treatment: PVC and VT ablation with ICE
- Usual Care: no use of SOUNDSTAR® ICE CatheterExisting treatment, for comparison
Usual Care: No use of SOUNDSTAR® ICE Catheter for premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation
Treatment: PVC and VT ablation without ICE
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?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Real-Time Intracardiac Echocardiography for Ventricular Arrhythmia Ablation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Record updated
- 1 April 2026