JET-VIP AF - version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparison of high frequency JET ventilation Versus conventional Intermittent Positive pressure ventilation on the effectiveness of catheter ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: a multicentre, double blinded, randomised controlled trial (JET-VIP AF)
IRAS ID
367750
Contact name
Gareth Matthews
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an irregular heart rhythm that affects 1.46 million UK people. It can cause breathlessness and tiredness, and increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. One treatment is catheter ablation. During this procedure, thin tubes are passed through blood vessels into the heart and energy is delivered to small areas of heart tissue to block signals that can trigger AF.
Although ablation helps many people, AF can return after a first procedure. Some patients then need a repeat ablation, which can be stressful and inconvenient. Repeat procedures add risk and NHS pressure. One possible reason AF returns is that the ablation catheter moves as the patient’s chest moves with breathing, making treatment less precise.
Many AF ablations in the UK use general anaesthetic and intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV), where a breathing machine gives regular breaths. High frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) is a different ventilation method already used in the NHS for some delicate procedures. It gives very small, rapid breaths and may reduce chest movement, helping doctors keep the catheter steadier and treat the correct area more accurately.
Earlier non-randomised studies suggest HFJV may improve AF outcomes, but high-quality randomised evidence is needed before wider NHS use.
JET-VIP AF will test whether HFJV is better than IPPV for people having their first AF ablation. We will recruit 316 adults from 11 UK hospitals. Participants will be randomly allocated to HFJV or IPPV and will not know which method they receive. Main outcomes are improvement in AF-related quality of life and whether AF returns during the following year. AF will be checked using a wearable heart rhythm monitor, and symptoms using questionnaires. The study will also examine safety and value for money for the NHS. This trial is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme.
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
26/WA/0193
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jul 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion