CClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT02095977Updated Feb 8, 2017

Insulation Failure in St. Jude Riata Leads

An interventional study of fluoroscopy and synchronized high-voltage shock in Implanted With Any Currently (and Any Future) FDA-approved Medtronic ICD or CRT Device and to Which is Attached a St. Jude Riata Lead, sponsored by Hartford Hospital. Status unknown at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-02-08.

Sponsored by Hartford Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Screening

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Feb 2017), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

A recent study evaluated the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database, which contains reports of adverse events involving medical devices6,9. The FDA updates the database every two months. A total of 107 Riata leads with reported inside-out insulation breaks were found, of which 105 were available for analysis. The average age of the leads was 62.1+/-18.6 months. A total of 226 insulation defects were found with 143 inside-out insulation abrasions. Twenty-eight of the 105 leads (26.7%) had inside-out insulation defects underneath one or more of the high voltage-shocking coil. Of these, 23 were 8F and five were 7F Riata ST leads. Exposed cables or conductors were present in 32 leads and six leads had melted cables, presumably due to one or more high voltage shocks. 22 of the 43 leads assessed (51.2%) also had abraded ETFE cable coating exposing the conductor. Noise and other sensing issues were the most common signs of failure. Seven leads were found to have externalized cables and five exhibited electrical abnormalities. 31 patients (29.5%) experienced inappropriate shocks of which 41% had abraded cables.

A critical decision facing physicians is how to screen and manage patients who are found to have externalized cables. Externalized cables on fluoroscopy may precede any electrical abnormalities. Also noise may not be detected on all ICD models. A recent case report suggested that changes in lead parameters might be transient and may be missed. The lead may function normally as the high-voltage and pace-sense cables are covered with ETFE, which serves as the second insulating barrier. As this is a very thin layer (0.0015 inches) the reliability of this to withstand a high-energy shock is unknown. This may lead to failure of appropriate therapy for life threatening arrhythmias.

The aim of this study is to screen patients with ICD leads that potentially could have multiple different failure mechanisms, including inside-out insulation breaks, to develop a novel new algorithm and methods to detect these defects, thereby enabling physicians to prevent complications from failure of these leads.

It is hypothesized that current monitoring tools are insufficient for detecting the sometimes transient electrical failures of the Riata family of leads, and that additional device diagnostic information in combination with fluoroscopy may improve detection of electrical failures.

Read the detailed description

A recent study evaluated the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database, which contains reports of adverse events involving medical devices6,9. The FDA updates the database every two months. A total of 107 Riata leads with reported inside-out insulation breaks were found, of which 105 were available for analysis. The average age of the leads was 62.1+/-18.6 months. A total of 226 insulation defects were found with 143 inside-out insulation abrasions. Twenty-eight of the 105 leads (26.7%) had inside-out insulation defects underneath one or more of the high voltage-shocking coil. Of these, 23 were 8F and five were 7F Riata ST leads. Exposed cables or conductors were present in 32 leads and six leads had melted cables, presumably due to one or more high voltage shocks. 22 of the 43 leads assessed (51.2%) also had abraded ETFE cable coating exposing the conductor. Noise and other sensing issues were the most common signs of failure. Seven leads were found to have externalized cables and five exhibited electrical abnormalities. 31 patients (29.5%) experienced inappropriate shocks of which 41% had abraded cables.

A critical decision facing physicians is how to screen and manage patients who are found to have externalized cables. Externalized cables on fluoroscopy may precede any electrical abnormalities. Also noise may not be detected on all ICD models. A recent case report suggested that changes in lead parameters might be transient and may be missed. The lead may function normally as the high-voltage and pace-sense cables are covered with ETFE, which serves as the second insulating barrier. As this is a very thin layer (0.0015 inches) the reliability of this to withstand a high-energy shock is unknown. This may lead to failure of appropriate therapy for life threatening arrhythmias.

The aim of this study is to screen patients with ICD leads that potentially could have multiple different failure mechanisms, including inside-out insulation breaks, to develop a novel new algorithm and methods to detect these defects, thereby enabling physicians to prevent complications from failure of these leads.

It is hypothesized that current monitoring tools are insufficient for detecting the sometimes transient electrical failures of the Riata family of leads, and that additional device diagnostic information in combination with fluoroscopy may improve detection of electrical failures.

This will be a prospective, single-center study. Patients who consent to participate will be enrolled for up to three years.

This study offers the potential of direct benefit to the patient and indirect benefit for future users of the ICD systems. This study may identify inside-out insulation breaks and prevent impending lead failure. Additionally, analyses of the data collected as part of this study may help to develop an "electronic footprint" or pattern to remotely identify inside-out insulation breaks in all ICD leads Potential risks include exposure to radiation from a fluoroscopic exam of the lead and receiving a synchronized ICD shock.

02

Conditions studied

  • Implanted With Any Currently (and Any Future) FDA-approved Medtronic ICD or CRT Device
  • to Which is Attached a St. Jude Riata Lead

Keywords

  • St. Jude Riata lead failure
  • implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
  • externalized conductors
  • ventricular tachyarrythmia
  • electrophysiology
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Hartford Hospital is the lead sponsor of 101 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Of its 12 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (42%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female
  • Age ≥18
  • Implanted with any Medtronic Protecta® VR/DR/CRT, XT-VR/DR/CRT, Secura®, Virtuoso®, Maximo II®, Concerto® VR, Evera® or Viva® (and any future FDA-approved Medtronic ICD) device to which is attached a St. Jude Riata lead (Models 1560, 1561, 1562, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1580, 1581, 1582, 1590, 1591, 1592, 7000, 7001, 7002, 7010, 7011, 7040, 7041, 7042)
  • Willing and able to sign informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age \<18
  • ICD that does not use a Riata lead
  • Riata lead not connected to Medtronic Protecta® VR/DR/CRT, XT-VR/DR/CRT, Maximo II® Secura®, Virtuoso®, Concerto® VR, Evera® or Viva® (and any future FDA-approved Medtronic ICD) device
  • Unwilling or unable to sign informed consent
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Screening
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Other
    participants

    all subjects meeting inclusion and none of exclusion criteria

    Procedure: fluoroscopy · Procedure: synchronized high-voltage shock · Procedure: Holter monitor

Interventions

  • Procedurefluoroscopy

    Fluoroscopic evaluation of three different views (left anterior oblique, right anterior oblique and anterior/posterior) and magnification will be performed to check for externalized cables at 15 frames per second using the best visualized angle per screening electrophysiologist.

  • Proceduresynchronized high-voltage shock

    If fluoroscopic evaluation shows externalized conductors or if patient is deemed high-risk, the patient will be consented for synchronized high voltage shock through his/her device. This will be done in the non-invasive electrophysiology lab with conscious sedation as is done during defibrillation threshold testing. For patients undergoing a generator (ICD) change as part of standard of care, performance of synchronized, high-voltage shock will be performed at the discretion of the electrophysiologist.

  • ProcedureHolter monitor

    Participants will be given a 24-hour Holter monitor at baseline and once annually, and will be followed at least every three months throughout the study. Participants who are found to have an electrical abnormality at any point during the study may be given a 24-hour Holter monitor if it is believed that this procedure will provide clinically useful information regarding the integrity of the lead.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. lead failure

    clinical and demographic data associated with lead failure will be evaluated after 12-36 months of subject participation

    Time frame: 12-36 months post-enrollment

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Hartford Hospital
    Hartford, Connecticut 06102, United States
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Erkapic D, Duray GZ, Bauernfeind T, De Rosa S, Hohnloser SH. Insulation defects of thin high-voltage ICD leads: an underestimated problem? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2011 Sep;22(9):1018-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2011.02055.x. Epub 2011 Apr 1. PubMed 21457385 ↗
  • Valk S, Luijten R, Jordaens L. Insulation damage in a shock wire: an unexpected fluoroscopic image. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2010 Jun 1;33(6):770-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2009.02664.x. Epub 2010 Jan 12. PubMed 20070544 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 8, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02095977
Lead sponsor
Hartford Hospital
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 26, 2014
Start date
Jul 2013
Primary completion
Apr 2018 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 2019 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 8, 2017

Study contacts

Arben Ademi
Contact
arben.ademi@hhchealth.org
860-972-3561
Steven Zweibel, MD
principal investigator · Hartford Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in Feb 2017. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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