Preventing Irregular Heartbeats During LVAD Surgery
Prophylactic Intra-Operative VT Ablation in High-Risk LVAD Candidates
This project explores whether a heart procedure performed during LVAD surgery can prevent dangerous irregular heartbeats in patients who have had them before.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143236 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Patients with advanced heart failure often receive a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to help their heart pump blood. While LVADs greatly improve survival, some patients still experience dangerous irregular heartbeats, called ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA), which can lead to more hospital stays and even increase the risk of death. Our previous work suggests that patients with a history of VTA before LVAD surgery are at a much higher risk for these problems afterward. This project will explore if a special procedure, called VTA ablation, performed during LVAD surgery, can stop these irregular heartbeats from happening in high-risk patients. We hope this early intervention will improve their health and well-being.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients with advanced heart failure who have a history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and are preparing for LVAD implantation.
Not a fit: Patients without a history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias before LVAD implantation may not directly benefit from this specific preventative procedure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce dangerous irregular heartbeats and improve long-term health for high-risk patients receiving an LVAD.
How similar studies have performed: While VTA ablation has shown success in reducing recurrent VTA in other patient groups, its use as a prophylactic measure during LVAD implantation is novel and lacks prospective data.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, David T — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Huang, David T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.