A Phase 3 interventional study of Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation (CSD) and Routine Care in Sudden Cardiac Death, Ventricular Tachycardia and Ventricular Fibrillation, sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles. Recruiting at 3 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-01-19.
Sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) surgery on life threatening abnormal heart rhythms called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Subjects will be asked to participate in this research study if they have recurrent ventricular tachycardia (at least one ICD shock for ventricular tachycardia) and have undergone at least one catheter ablation procedure or have ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation that is not ablatable. The goal of this study is to determine whether cardiac sympathetic denervation can prevent these abnormal heart rhythms from occurring and therefore, prevent, ICD shocks which are not only painful, but have been shown to reduce quality of life and/or lead to depression, particularly in the period immediately after the shock.
The purpose of this study is to determine if bilateral cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) in addition to routine care is more effective than routine care for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) who continue to have episodes of VT despite drug therapy and when appropriate, at least one catheter ablation procedure.
The CSD procedure involves removal of part of the cervical stellate ganglia and thoracic ganglia of level 2 to 4. These ganglia house the left and right sided nerves that feed the heart and have been implicated in the occurrence of fast abnormal rhythms that cause defibrillator shocks and sudden death. Stimulation of these nerves has been shown to increase the incidence of sudden death and fast abnormal heart rhythms that lead to internal defibrillator shocks called ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation. Removal of the ganglia of these nerves in animal and human studies has been shown to decrease the incidence of life threatening abnormal rhythms and sudden death.The procedure takes less than 45 minutes on each side and can be performed endoscopically.
We are inviting patients to participate in this clinical trial who have undergone at least one catheter ablation procedure for ventricular tachycardia but have continued to experience recurrent arrhythmias (ICD shocks) or who have a type of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation that can not be treated with catheter ablation procedures. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to either routine care + cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) or routine care without cardiac sympathetic denervation. We are asking 40 individuals (approximate age range 18-80 years) who continue to experience ICD shocks to participate in this research study but only half these individual will be randomized to cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) surgery.
1,176 studies on the registry are indexed under Cardiomyopathies; 287 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 51 across 609 interventional studies indexed under Cardiomyopathies.
Browse Cardiomyopathies studies →University of California, Los Angeles is the lead sponsor of 1,142 studies on the registry; 192 are open to participants now.
Of its 91 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 66 (73%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
Patients in this arm receive routine care and undergo cardiac sympathetic denervation. The procedure must be scheduled to occur within one month of randomization. Follow-up Visits * Follow up at 4 weeks after optimization of medical therapy and surgery * All patients are followed at the ICD clinic at 7 months or as needed. * Information regarding ICD therapy and arrhythmias will be obtained from ICD interrogations at the follow up visits. * Monthly phone calls will be used to determine for interval events, including presence of side-effects. VT Ablation is permitted in both arms for ICD shock after optimization.
Procedure: Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation (CSD) · Drug: Routine Care
Patients in this arm remain on prescribed drug regimen and will not undergo CSD. Follow-up Visits * Medical follow up at 4 weeks after optimization of medical therapy. * All patients are followed at the ICD clinic at 7 months or as needed. * Information regarding ICD therapy and arrhythmias will be obtained from ICD interrogations at the follow up visits. * Monthly phone calls will be used to determine for interval events, including presence of side-effects. VT Ablation is permitted in both arms for ICD shock after optimization.
Drug: Routine Care
Cardiac sympathetic denervation is performed using an endoscopic procedure called VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy). The surgeon removes the lower half of the stellate ganglia in addition to the thoracic ganglia of T2 - T4 on both the right and left side. The VATS procedure provides a minimally invasive endoscopic approach that is safe and effective. The procedure can be completed in less than 45 minutes on each side.
Anti-arrhythmic medications are continued for the duration of the study unless discontinued or adjusted to due to drug toxicity, intolerance, or ICD shock. All anti-arrhythmic medications (whether in the routine care or surgical arm) can be adjusted at the discretion of the treating physician.
Time to ICD shock, death, or cardiac transplantation
To compare the time to first occurrence of appropriate ICD shock, death or cardiac transplantation in CSD+routine care vs. routine care groups.
Time frame: 7 months
Number of ICD shocks
To compare the number of ICD shocks in patients with Routine Care + CSD to Routine Care.
Time frame: 7 months
Number of appropriate ICD therapies (including ATPs ) and sustained VT below ICD detection
To compare the number of appropriate ICD therapies and VT episodes below ICD detection in patients with Routine Care + CSD to Routine Care.
Time frame: 7 months
Serious adverse events
To assess the occurrence of serious adverse events in patients treated with Routine Care + CSD and Routine Care.
Time frame: 7 months
Number and etiology of hospitalizations
Number and etiology of hospitalization will be compared in the control vs. intervention group.
Time frame: 7 months
Number of deaths or cardiac transplantations
Number of deaths or cardiac transplantation in both arms of the study will be compared.
Time frame: 7 months
Plan to share: Yes — Deidentified data will be shared with other investigators upon request.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Icf
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University of California, Los Angeles