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Which ablation method wins for tough atrial fibrillation cases?

NCT ID NCT07783984

Disease control Sponsor: Samsung Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial compares two procedures to treat persistent atrial fibrillation in people whose left atrium is enlarged, a group that often has worse outcomes. Participants are randomly assigned to either thoracoscopic surgical ablation or percutaneous catheter ablation. The goal is to see which approach better prevents the return of irregular heart rhythms over time. The study also tests whether a 14-day patch monitor catches more rhythm problems than a standard 24-hour Holter monitor.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Two procedures: thoracoscopic surgical ablation and percutaneous catheter ablation (using radiofrequency, cryoballoon, or pulsed field energy)
What this could lead to
If thoracoscopic ablation proves superior, it could become the preferred first-line procedure for this challenging patient group, reducing repeat procedures and improving heart rhythm control.
What could go wrong
The trial is relatively small and single-center, and results may not apply broadly. Both procedures carry risks like bleeding, infection, or heart damage, and recurrence may still occur.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 194 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

May 2024

Expected to finish

May 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

19 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 19 years or older * Persistent atrial fibrillation refractory to antiarrhythmic drug therapy, or in whom antiarrhythmic drug therapy cannot be maintained * European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) symptom score ≥ 2 * Considered suitable for rhythm-control therapy by either percutaneous catheter ablation or thoracoscopic ablation, at the investigator's medical discretion * Enlarged left atrium, defined as left atrial diameter ≥ 50 mm or left atrial volume index ≥ 45 mL/m² Exclusion Criteria: * Previous percutaneous catheter ablation or thoracoscopic ablation for atrial fibrillation * Previous thoracic or cardiac surgery * Absolute contraindication to anticoagulation therapy * Life expectancy less than 1 year due to non-cardiac disease, or anticipated poor adherence to treatment, at the investigator's medical discretion * Refusal to participate in the study

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

atrial fibrillation persistent atrial fibrillation

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Atrial fibrillation Endocardial ablation Thoracoscopic ablation

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Samsung Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Seoul, Seoul, 06351, South Korea

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