EFFECTIVENESS OF RIPPLE MAPPING FOR ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA ABLATION
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A PROSPECTIVE MULTI-CENTRE STUDY OF EFFECTIVENESS OF RIPPLE MAPPING FOR ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA ABLATION
IRAS ID
164866
Contact name
P Kanagaratnam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Tachycardia’s (fast heart rhythms) can lead to troublesome palpitations, dizziness, blackouts and breathlessness. They are caused either by a cluster of abnormal cells within the heart, or an electrical short circuit which rotates rapidly around the heart. Sometimes these can be controlled with tablets, though owing to side effects many patients want something else. Many tachycardia’s can be cured by a procedure known as an “ablation”. In essence, either the focus of abnormal cells or the narrowest point of the short circuit causing the abnormal heart rhythm (the source) is electrically destroyed (burnt) resulting in restoration of the normal heart beat.
One form of tachycardia is known is Atrial Tachycardia (AT). These arise from the top two chambers of the heart (the atrium). Interestingly, this problem is frequently seen in patients who have previously undergone an ablation or surgical procedure for a condition called Atrial Fibrillation. In others the reason for its occurrence is unknown.
Current strategies to find the “source” during an ablation procedure are technically challenging resulting in long procedure times. Sometimes the wrong source is found resulting in ablation at the incorrect site.
Ripple Mapping (RM) is a novel system that we are looking to study. In a previous study that we conducted, RM found the source of the tachycardia in 80% of the maps, compared to only 50% with current system. We know why we did not get 100% and we believe that, in future, RM will find the source of the tachycardia first time, and every time.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2060
Date of REC Opinion
3 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion