Measuring Electrical Resistance of Different Tissues on the Outer Surface of the Heart
| Status: | Terminated |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Cardiology, Cardiology, Cardiology |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Cardiology / Vascular Diseases |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 75 |
| Updated: | 8/17/2016 |
| Start Date: | April 2006 |
| End Date: | January 2008 |
Impedance Measurement of Epicardial Substrate for Ventricular Arrhythmias: Case Control Series of Patients With and Without Myocardial Scarring
This is a research study to evaluate the electrical properties of heart tissue. The purpose
of this study is to determine the impedance (electrical resistance) of different tissues on
the outer surface of the heart. This may be important for distinguishing scarred heart
muscle from fat that can be seen on the surface of the heart. This information may
eventually be utilized in patients that undergo a procedure (called catheter ablation) for
the treatment of life-threatening heart rhythms. Investigators expect a detectable
difference between the impedance of normal and infarcted myocardium (approximately 50 ohms).
of this study is to determine the impedance (electrical resistance) of different tissues on
the outer surface of the heart. This may be important for distinguishing scarred heart
muscle from fat that can be seen on the surface of the heart. This information may
eventually be utilized in patients that undergo a procedure (called catheter ablation) for
the treatment of life-threatening heart rhythms. Investigators expect a detectable
difference between the impedance of normal and infarcted myocardium (approximately 50 ohms).
The treatment of cardiac arrhythmias with endocardial catheter ablation has evolved rapidly
over the past few decades. At the time of this writing, the ablation of almost all atrial
and ventricular arrhythmias has been described in the literature. Multiple energy modalities
(e.g. radiofrequency, cryotherapy) and approaches (e.g. retrograde aortic, transseptal
puncture) have been described, yet ablation of some rhythms is not as successful as others.
The realization that ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the setting of Chagas Disease can
originate in the epicardium has lead to the development of a percutaneous, transthoracic
epicardial approach to mapping and ablation of this arrhythmia. This approach has now been
applied to patients with VT in the setting of ischemic and nonischemic heart disease at many
centers throughout the world. Traditional mapping technologies are utilized on the
epicardium to define scarred heart tissue and locate the VT circuit.
It is well known that human hearts display a variable amount of fat overlying the
epicardium. Not only is the coronary vasculature embedded in a layer of adipose tissue, but
the rest of the heart may have areas of epicardial fat. As fat is an insulator and does not
generate or easily conduct electrical activity, current mapping techniques may classify
epicardial fat incorrectly as myocardial scar. This may have important effects on the
ability to diagnose and treat arrhythmias with epicardial ablation.
over the past few decades. At the time of this writing, the ablation of almost all atrial
and ventricular arrhythmias has been described in the literature. Multiple energy modalities
(e.g. radiofrequency, cryotherapy) and approaches (e.g. retrograde aortic, transseptal
puncture) have been described, yet ablation of some rhythms is not as successful as others.
The realization that ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the setting of Chagas Disease can
originate in the epicardium has lead to the development of a percutaneous, transthoracic
epicardial approach to mapping and ablation of this arrhythmia. This approach has now been
applied to patients with VT in the setting of ischemic and nonischemic heart disease at many
centers throughout the world. Traditional mapping technologies are utilized on the
epicardium to define scarred heart tissue and locate the VT circuit.
It is well known that human hearts display a variable amount of fat overlying the
epicardium. Not only is the coronary vasculature embedded in a layer of adipose tissue, but
the rest of the heart may have areas of epicardial fat. As fat is an insulator and does not
generate or easily conduct electrical activity, current mapping techniques may classify
epicardial fat incorrectly as myocardial scar. This may have important effects on the
ability to diagnose and treat arrhythmias with epicardial ablation.
Inclusion Criteria:
- All adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery for coronary artery disease
(with or without normal heart function) or valvular disease (with normal heart
function) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Y.
Joseph Woo MD will be eligible.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients undergoing emergent surgery and patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy,
infiltrative cardiomyopathies and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies will be excluded.
We found this trial at
1
site
3400 Spruce St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
(215) 662-4000
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) is...
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