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CompletedNCT02924181Updated Mar 18, 2020

Comparison Between Contact Force Guided and Blinded Strategy on PV Isolation in AF Patients

An interventional study of SmartTouch Catheter in Atrial Fibrillation, sponsored by Seoul National University Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Korea, Republic of. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-03-18.

Sponsored by Seoul National University Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is very important in atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation. PV reconnection is one of the main reasons in AF recurrence. Contact force-sensing catheter is a new catheter which has valuable tools to monitor and increase the efficacy of PV isolation. Previous paper reported the efficacy of contact force-sensing catheter on immediate PV isolation and outcome. However, there might be confounding factor as inter-individual variation. Therefore, we would like to compare the efficacy of contact force-sensing catheter within same patient but different veins.

In this study, we would like to confirm the efficacy of contact force-sensing catheter on immediate PV isolation outcome within same patient. This study randomized the right or left PVs whether to use the contact force-sensing function or not. The study design will minimize the inter-individual variation on evaluating the efficacy of contact force-sensing catheter on immediate PV isolation.

Also, in patients who had recurred AF or AT, we would like to evaluate the long-term efficacy of contact force-sensing catheter on PV isolation.

Read the detailed description

Sixty patients will be randomized to select right or left pulmonary veins whether to apply contact force-guided ablation or contact force-blinded ablation strategy. Each PV will be ablated with same contact force-sensing catheter (Thermocool Smart Touch Catheter, Biosense Webster Inc. CA). The PV (right or left) which will be randomized to contact force-sensing PV or blind PV. Contact force-sensing PV will be ablated guided by contact force, whereas the blind PVs will be ablated without contact force-sensing information. The change of impedance, total ablation and time to ablate PV will be collected and analysed according to contact force-sensing strategy. After exit and entrance block by conventional method, dormant conduction will be evaluated by using adenosine. The proportion of dormant conduction will be compared between contact force-sensing guided or blinded strategy.

During 1-year follow up, patients who recurred AF or AT will be undergo second ablation procedure. In these patients, PV reconnection rate will be evaluated by a duodecapolar lasso circular mapping catheter. We would like to know whether PVs which have ablated with contact force-sensing information at index procedure have less reconnection than those which was ablated without contact force-sensing information.

02

Conditions studied

  • Atrial Fibrillation

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Keywords

  • pulmonary vein isolation
  • contact force sensing catheter
03

In context

Atrial Fibrillation

3,870 studies on the registry are indexed under Atrial Fibrillation; 924 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 60 is below the median of 144 across 2,380 interventional studies indexed under Atrial Fibrillation.

Browse Atrial Fibrillation studies →

Lead sponsor

Seoul National University Hospital is the lead sponsor of 1,860 studies on the registry; 275 are open to participants now.

Of its 12 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (17%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) who had failed with anti-arrhythmic agents.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who had previous ablation for AF
  • Patients with symptomatic persistent AF
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Lt PV CF guided/rt PV CF blinded

    Fifteen patients will be allocated to this group. Left side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed with contact force information guidance. Then, right side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed without contact force information (using same catheter named SmartTouch Catheter).

    Device: SmartTouch Catheter

  • Active comparator
    Lt PV CF blinded/rt PV CF guided

    Fifteen patients will be allocated to this group. Left side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed without contact force information (using same catheter named SmartTouch Catheter).Then, right side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed with contact force information guidance.

    Device: SmartTouch Catheter

  • Active comparator
    Rt PV CF guided/lt PV CF blinded

    Fifteen patients will be allocated to this group. Right side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed with contact force information guidance. Then, left side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed without contact force information (using same catheter named SmartTouch Catheter).

    Device: SmartTouch Catheter

  • Active comparator
    Rt PV CF blinded/lt PV CF guided

    Fifteen patients will be allocated to this group. Right side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed without contact force information (using same catheter named SmartTouch Catheter). Then, left side pulmonary veins isolation will be performed with contact force information guidance.

    Device: SmartTouch Catheter

Interventions

  • DeviceSmartTouch Catheter

    Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation guided by CF information

    Also known as: Contact force guided pulmonary vein isolation

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of immediate PV isolation ratio after final ablation according to contact force-guided ablation, change of impedance, total ablation time, and procedure time according to contact force-guided strategy

    Time frame: Immediate after PV isolation (acute result)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Proportion of PV reconnection according to contact force-guided ablation in patients with AF recurrence

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Seoul National University Hospital
    Seoul, 03080, Korea, Republic of
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Andrade JG, Monir G, Pollak SJ, Khairy P, Dubuc M, Roy D, Talajic M, Deyell M, Rivard L, Thibault B, Guerra PG, Nattel S, Macle L. Pulmonary vein isolation using "contact force" ablation: the effect on dormant conduction and long-term freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation--a prospective study. Heart Rhythm. 2014 Nov;11(11):1919-24. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2014.07.033. Epub 2014 Jul 25. PubMed 25068575 ↗
  • Natale A, Reddy VY, Monir G, Wilber DJ, Lindsay BD, McElderry HT, Kantipudi C, Mansour MC, Melby DP, Packer DL, Nakagawa H, Zhang B, Stagg RB, Boo LM, Marchlinski FE. Paroxysmal AF catheter ablation with a contact force sensing catheter: results of the prospective, multicenter SMART-AF trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Aug 19;64(7):647-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.072. PubMed 25125294 ↗
  • Marijon E, Fazaa S, Narayanan K, Guy-Moyat B, Bouzeman A, Providencia R, Treguer F, Combes N, Bortone A, Boveda S, Combes S, Albenque JP. Real-time contact force sensing for pulmonary vein isolation in the setting of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: procedural and 1-year results. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2014 Feb;25(2):130-7. doi: 10.1111/jce.12303. Epub 2013 Nov 6. PubMed 24433324 ↗
  • Reichlin T, Knecht S, Lane C, Kuhne M, Nof E, Chopra N, Tadros TM, Reddy VY, Schaer B, John RM, Osswald S, Stevenson WG, Sticherling C, Michaud GF. Initial impedance decrease as an indicator of good catheter contact: insights from radiofrequency ablation with force sensing catheters. Heart Rhythm. 2014 Feb;11(2):194-201. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2013.10.048. Epub 2013 Oct 28. PubMed 24177370 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 18, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02924181
Lead sponsor
Seoul National University Hospital
Collaborators
Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center
Responsible party
Eue-Keun Choi (Professor, Seoul National University Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 5, 2016
Start date
Jun 2015
Primary completion
Oct 23, 2017
Completion
Oct 11, 2018
Last update
Mar 18, 2020

Study contacts

Eue-Keun Choi, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Seoul National University Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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