Can cutting nerves stop deadly heart rhythms in chagas patients?

NCT ID NCT04239144

Completed Disease control Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This pilot study tested a procedure called bilateral sympathectomy, which cuts certain nerves to the heart, in 45 Chagas disease patients with implantable defibrillators (ICDs) who had frequent dangerous heart rhythms. Participants were randomly assigned to receive the nerve-cutting procedure, standard medication, or catheter ablation. The goal was to see if the nerve procedure could reduce the number of heart rhythm episodes and improve quality of life.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: bilateral sympathectomy (nerve-cutting procedure via video-assisted thoracoscopy)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a new treatment option for controlling life-threatening heart rhythms in Chagas patients who don't respond to standard therapies.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with only 45 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The procedure carries surgical risks, and it's unclear if it will outperform existing treatments.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cardiac rhythm disease Chagas cardiomyopathy Chagas disease ventricular tachycardia

As listed by the trial registrant

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

CHAGAS CARDIOMYOPATHY VENTRICULAR ARRYTHMIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Heart Institute of Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo

São Paulo, São Paulo, 05403-900, Brazil

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