TARGET AF study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Study of Concomitant Epicardial Left Atrial Appendage Closure and Catheter Ablation in Treating Recurrent Persistent Atrial Fibrillation After Failed Previous Ablation
IRAS ID
229383
Contact name
Tom Wong
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS \foundation trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects as many as 1 in 16 people over the age of 65 and reduces the quality of life of large numbers of people in the UK and around the world. Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive treatment that has been developed to help eliminate AF. However, the recurrence rate after a conventional catheter ablation to treat AF is high especially in people with long standing persistent AF (continuous AF for more than 1 year). Recent studies have identified that a certain area of the heart, namely the left atrial appendage (LAA), which is a pouch in the left atrium (small collecting chamber of the heart), may be the main source of AF in many cases.
In addition, it has been extensively shown that AF significantly increases the risk of stroke. The majority of strokes occur due to blood clots forming in the LAA. Traditionally, the most effective treatment to minimise the risk of stroke has been to thin the blood with agents such as warfarin and other new type of blood thinner. This therapy increases the risk of bleeding complications. Recent studies have demonstrated that use of closing the LAA is as effective as warfarin in preventing stroke.
We aim to study whether including the LAA closure using a keyhole suture technique within the ablation protocol can make AF ablation more effective in this patient who had previously failed catheter ablative procedure.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1665
Date of REC Opinion
20 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion