Pulsed-field large-area focal catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation

Safety & Effectiveness of the CardioWave Pulsed Field Ablation System With the QuickShot Nav Large-Area Focal Catheter for Ablation of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

This project will test whether the CardioWave QuickShot Nav pulsed-field ablation catheter can safely and effectively treat people with persistent atrial fibrillation.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 75 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: CardioFocus (Industry-sponsored)
• Locations: 3 sites (Split and 2 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07281521 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a prospective, single-arm, multi-center clinical investigation of the investigational QuickShot Nav configuration of the CardioWave System using pulsed field ablation for focal catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation. Up to 200 participants will be enrolled and treated at up to four centers in Europe in a protocol that includes remapping procedures and phased follow-up, with Phase C participants followed through 12 months. All eligible patients who provide informed consent will receive the study device and undergo standardized procedural and follow-up assessments to collect safety and effectiveness outcomes. The study focuses on focal ablation using pulsed electric fields intended to create myocardial lesions while minimizing thermal injury.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults with symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation (and certain Phase A paroxysmal AF participants) who have documented AF episodes per protocol and who have failed or are intolerant of prior therapies are eligible.

Not a fit: Patients without appropriate AF documentation, those with contraindications to catheter ablation, or those unable to travel to or comply with site follow-up procedures are unlikely to benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the device could offer a tissue-selective, non-thermal ablation option that may reduce collateral injury and shorten procedure time while improving rhythm control for patients with persistent AF.

How similar studies have performed: Prior clinical work with pulsed field ablation and other PFA catheters has shown promising safety and pulmonary vein isolation outcomes, but the QuickShot Nav large-area focal configuration is less extensively studied.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of recurrent symptomatic paroxysmal AF (PAF) or persistent AF (PerAF) with the following documentation:

   Paroxysmal AF (Phase A participants)
   1. Physician's note indicating symptoms consistent with recurrent symptomatic PAF AND
   2. At least one documented episode of AF captured continuously on 12-lead ECG, or for at least 30 seconds on transtelephonic monitor (TTM), Holter monitor, telemetry strip, or similar within 12 months prior to enrollment

   Persistent AF (Phase A, B, and C participants)
   1. Physician's note indicating symptoms consistent with recurrent symptomatic PerAF AND
   2. Any 24-hour ECG recording of continuous AF within 12 months prior to enrollment OR
   3. Two ECGs from any form of rhythm monitoring showing continuous AF taken at least 7 days apart within 12 months prior to enrollment OR
   4. History of ≥2 direct current cardioversion (DCCV) performed within 12 months prior to enrollment
2. Failure or intolerance of at least one antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) (Class I - IV) for AF, as evidenced by recurrent symptomatic PerAF or intolerable side effects due to the AAD
3. Age 18 through 75 years-old on the day of enrollment
4. Patient is indicated for an ablation procedure according to society guidelines or study site practice
5. Patient is willing and able to give informed consent and is willing, able, and committed to participate in baseline and follow-up evaluations for the full duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Long-standing persistent AF (continuous AF sustained \> 1 year)
2. AF secondary to electrolyte imbalance, thyroid disease, alcohol abuse, or other reversible/non-cardiac causes
3. Prior cardiac ablation or surgical procedure (including left atrial appendage (LAA) device or occlusion, or valvular cardiac procedure)
4. Planned LAA closure procedure or implant of a permanent pacemaker, biventricular pacemaker, or any type of implantable cardiac defibrillator (with or without biventricular pacing function) for any time during study participation
5. Presence of any permanent pacemaker, biventricular pacemaker, or implantable cardiac defibrillator (with or without biventricular pacing function) that cannot be programmed, per the manufacturer's recommendations, during the ablation procedure
6. Patient cannot be removed from AADs for reasons other than AF, which includes participants with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Syndrome and participants with a history of ventricular tachycardia (VT)
7. Presence of any IVC filters
8. Presence of an interatrial baffle or patch
9. Presence of any pulmonary vein stents
10. Pre-existing pulmonary vein stenosis
11. Pre-existing hemidiaphragmatic paralysis
12. Atrial or ventricular septal defect closure
13. Atrial myxoma
14. Presence of any mechanical or biologic prosthetic heart valve
15. Hemodynamically significant valvular disease as determined by the Investigator
16. History of pericarditis
17. History of Rheumatic heart disease
18. History of thromboembolic event within 6 months prior to Index Ablation Procedure or evidence of intracardiac thrombus at time of the Index Ablation Procedure
19. Any of the following events within 3 months prior to the Index Ablation Procedure:

    * Myocardial infarction
    * Unstable angina
    * Percutaneous coronary intervention
    * Heart surgery including coronary artery bypass grafting
    * Heart failure hospitalization
    * Cerebral ischemic event (stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA))
    * Clinically significant bleeding requiring surgical intervention
    * Pericardial effusion
    * Ventriculotomy or atriotomy
20. New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class IV congestive heart failure
21. Documented left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35% measured by acceptable cardiac testing (e.g., TTE, cardiac CT, etc.) within 6 months prior to enrollment
22. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
23. Primary pulmonary hypertension
24. Significant or symptomatic hypotension
25. Thrombocytosis, thrombocytopenia
26. Contraindication to, or unwillingness to use, systemic anticoagulation
27. Patient contraindicated for CT or MRI
28. Sensitivity to contrast media not controlled by premedication
29. Women known to be pregnant or breastfeeding, or any women of childbearing potential who are not on a reliable form of birth regulation method or abstinence
30. Patient is participating in any other potentially confounding research
31. Serious or untreated medical conditions that would prevent participation in the study, interfere with assessment or therapy, or confound data or is interpretation, including but not limited to:

    * Solid organ or hematologic transplant, or currently being evaluated for organ transplant
    * Severe lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, or any lung disease involving abnormal blood gases or significant dyspnea
    * Chronic renal insufficiency with eGFR \<50 mL/min/1.73 m2, any history of renal dialysis, or history of renal transplant
    * Active malignancy or history of treated cancer within 24 months prior to enrollment
    * History of severe esophageal ulcers, strictures, esophagitis, esophageal structural abnormality, and uncontrolled/untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
    * Active systemic infection
    * Clinically significant psychological condition that, in the Investigator's opinion, would prohibit the participant's ability to meet the protocol requirements
    * Predicted life expectancy \<1 year

Where this trial is running

Split and 2 other locations

• KBC Split — Split, Croatia (Recruiting)
• St. Anne's University Hospital — Brno, Czechia (Not_yet_recruiting)
• Homolka — Prague, Czechia (Not_yet_recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Tine Wouters

Conditions Persistant Atrial Fibrillation; ablation; pulsed field ablation; atrial fibrillation